Which pattern best characterizes iron-deficiency anemia?

Which pattern best characterizes iron-deficiency anemia?

• A. Anemia of chronic disease
• B. Thalassemia
• C. Iron-deficiency anemia
• D. Hemochromatosis

Answer: (C)

Iron deficiency anemia is defined by depleted iron stores that limit heme synthesis, leading to microcytic, hypochromic red blood cells. The typical lab pattern shows low ferritin, reflecting exhausted iron stores, with low serum iron and increased total iron-binding capacity, resulting in low transferrin saturation. These changes translate to red cell indices of reduced mean corpuscular volume and reduced mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, often with an increased red cell distribution width as cells vary in size during progression and recovery. This pattern occurs most commonly from chronic blood loss or inadequate iron intake. It differs from anemia of chronic disease, which usually shows low serum iron with normal or low TIBC and normal or high ferritin due to inflammation; from thalassemia, which typically has normal iron studies and distinct hemoglobin patterns; and from hemochromatosis, which features iron overload rather than anemia.

Iron deficiency anemia is defined by depleted iron stores that limit heme synthesis, leading to microcytic, hypochromic red blood cells. The typical lab pattern shows low ferritin, reflecting exhausted iron stores, with low serum iron and increased total iron-binding capacity, resulting in low transferrin saturation. These changes translate to red cell indices of reduced mean corpuscular volume and reduced mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, often with an increased red cell distribution width as cells vary in size during progression and recovery. This pattern occurs most commonly from chronic blood loss or inadequate iron intake. It differs from anemia of chronic disease, which usually shows low serum iron with normal or low TIBC and normal or high ferritin due to inflammation; from thalassemia, which typically has normal iron studies and distinct hemoglobin patterns; and from hemochromatosis, which features iron overload rather than anemia.