orrectly diagnoses iron deficiency anemia in a male patient whose lab report reveals

If your bloodwork indicates iron deficiency anemia, your doctor may order additional tests to identify an underlying cause, such as: Endoscopy. Doctors often check for bleeding from a hiatal hernia, an ulcer or the stomach with the aid of endoscopy.

Full Answer

How is the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia confirmed?

The diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia is confirmed by the findings of low iron stores and a hemoglobin level two standard deviations below normal. Women should be screened during pregnancy, and children screened at one year of age.

Which endoscopy findings are characteristic of iron-deficiency anaemia (IRA)?

Hardwick RH, Armstrong CP. Synchronous upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy is an effective method of investigating iron-deficiency anaemia. Br J Surg. 1997;84:1725–1728.

Which specialist consultations are beneficial to patients with iron deficiency anemia?

Patients with an underlying condition that causes iron deficiency anemia should be treated or referred to a subspecialist (e.g., gynecologist, gastroenterologist) for definitive treatment.

What is iron-deficiency anemia?

Iron-deficiency anemia is a blood disorder that affects your red blood cells. It’s the most common form of anemia. It happens when your body doesn’t have enough iron to make hemoglobin, a substance in your red blood cell that allows them to carry oxygen throughout your body.

What lab work indicates iron deficiency anemia?

Iron-deficiency anemia is diagnosed by blood tests that should include a complete blood count (CBC). Additional tests may be ordered to evaluate the levels of serum ferritin, iron, total iron-binding capacity, and/or transferrin.

How was the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia confirmed in this patient?

The diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia is confirmed by the findings of low iron stores and a hemoglobin level two standard deviations below normal. Women should be screened during pregnancy, and children screened at one year of age.

What is the best indicator of iron deficiency anemia?

Ferritin. Ferritin is the best indicator of iron deficiency and a low ferritin alone is diagnostic of IDA. Iron is stored intracellularly as ferritin and in the presence of infection, malignancy or chronic inflammation, the ferritin rises as it is an acute phase protein.

What CBC results indicate anemia?

CBC results in iron deficiency anemia include the following:Low mean corpuscular volume (MCV)Low mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)Elevated platelet count (>450,000/µL) in many cases.Normal or elevated white blood cell count.

How do you diagnose anemia?

Often, the first test used to diagnose anemia is a complete blood count (CBC). The CBC measures many parts of your blood. The test checks your hemoglobin and hematocrit (hee-MAT-oh-crit) levels. Hemoglobin is the iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the body.

What causes iron deficiency in males?

There are many things that can lead to a lack of iron in the body. In men and post-menopausal women, the most common cause is bleeding in the stomach and intestines. This can be caused by a stomach ulcer, stomach cancer, bowel cancer, or by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

What does ferritin test indicate?

Ferritin is a blood protein that contains iron. A ferritin test helps your doctor understand how much iron your body stores. If a ferritin test reveals that your blood ferritin level is lower than normal, it indicates your body's iron stores are low and you have iron deficiency. As a result, you could be anemic.

What labs are iron studies?

Transferrin test, which measures transferrin, a protein that moves iron throughout the body. Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), which measures how well iron attaches to transferrin and other proteins in the blood. Ferritin blood test, which measures how much iron is stored in the body.

What causes iron deficiency?

Abstract. Iron deficiency (ID), with or without anemia, is often caused by digestive diseases and should always be investigated, except in very specific situations, as its causes could be serious diseases, such as cancer. Diagnosis of ID is not always easy. Low serum levels of ferritin or transferrin saturation, ...

Why does iron have an ID?

ID may be the result of either excessive loss or, less frequently, decreased absorption. In general, the iron absorbed daily equals the amount needed to compensate its loss, so that the overall iron pool remains stable. This fine balance is easily broken, because the capability to absorb iron orally is limited.

What is the most common cause of anemia in women?

In developed countries, the likeliest cause of anemia in each patient depends on age and sex. In women of childbearing age, excessive menstrual loss is the most frequent etiology, while in postmenopausal women and in males, digestive diseases are the main causes[3,6].

What is the most frequent chronic anemia?

Iron deficiency (ID) is defined as the decrease of the total content of iron in the body. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) occurs when ID is sufficiently severe to reduce erythropoiesis. This type of anemia is the most frequent chronic anemia.

What causes low iron absorption?

Reduced iron absorption is the second category of ID causes of digestive origin, and can be caused by celiac disease, atrophic gastritis, and postsurgical status (gastrectomy, intestinal resection) among others. Celiac disease is very relevant and specific evaluation to exclude it must be performed.

What causes a pica?

These changes were caused by reduction of iron-containing enzymes in the epithelia and the gastrointestinal tract. Pica, the eating disorder in which there is an irresistible desire to lick or eat non-nutritive and unusual substances, such as soil, chalk, gypsum, ice (pagophagia) or paper, might appear in some cases.

Why is the fine balance easily broken?

This fine balance is easily broken, because the capability to absorb iron orally is limited. When the inputs are less than necessary or, more frequently, when the outputs increase and cannot be compensated for, ID and finally IDA, develops. In many cases, these alterations will be secondary to gastrointestinal disease.

Complete blood count

A complete blood count (CBC) test is important for many blood-related issues.

Serum iron test

A serum iron test measures how much iron is in the blood. Low levels of serum iron may indicate iron deficiency.

Ferritin test

A ferritin blood test measures the amount of ferritin in the blood. Ferritin is an iron-containing protein in the blood.

Total iron binding capacity

Total iron binding capacity (TIBC) is a blood test to check for levels of iron in the blood. Doctors may give this test along with transferrin tests to check for signs of anemia.

Soluble transferrin receptor

Iron gets into the cells by binding to a protein called transferrin. Having enough transferrin in the body is important to ensure iron can get into the cells.

Peripheral smear

A peripheral smear takes a small amount of blood and examines it under a microscope. A person with iron deficiency anemia will have red blood cells that appear smaller and paler than typical under a microscope.