Laboratory Medicine

Test Directory / Ferritin

Ferritin

Brown clotted serum, gel barrier

Test	Ferritin
Common Abbreviations	FER
Profile	Haematinics
Tube type	Brown clotted serum, gel barrier
Clinical Indication	Ferritin plays a significant role in the absorption, storage, and release of iron. Ferritin is found in the serum in low concentrations and is directly proportional to the body's iron stores. Serum ferritin concentration, when analysed with other factors such as serum transferrin saturation and tissue iron stores, is valuable in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia, anaemia of chronic infection, thalassaemia and haemachromatosis. Measurement of serum ferritin is particularly valuable in distinguishing iron deficiency anaemias caused by low iron stores from those resulting from inadequate iron utilization.
Specimen Type	Blood
Sample type	Serum
Minimum Volume	0.5mL If requesting more than 10 tests please send an additional brown clotted serum sample.
Special Precautions	No special requirements
Stability	48 hours at 20 - 25°C, 7 days at 2 - 8°C and 12 months at -20°C
Turnaround Time	Inpatient: 24 hours Outpatient/ GP: 24 hours
Laboratory	York and Scarborough
Reference Interval	Male: 30 - 400 µg/L (Quoted by the manufacturer) Females < 60 years: 30 - 150 µg/L (Quoted by the manufacturer) Females > 60 years: 30 - 260 µg/L (Derived in-house)
Limitations	Analysis should not be performed on haemolysed, icteric or lipaemic samples. The assay is unaffected by biotin < 205 nmol/L or < 50 ng/mL. No interference was observed from rheumatoid factors up to a concentration of 1200 IU/mL. Samples should not be taken from patients receiving therapy with high biotin doses (i.e. > 5 mg/day) until at least 8 hours following the last biotin administration. In rare cases, interference due to extremely high titers of antibodies to analyte specific antibodies, streptavidin or ruthenium can occur. In vitro tests were performed on 16 commonly used pharmaceuticals. No interference with the assay was found.
Notes