Evaluation of Iron Status in Anemic Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Using an Automated Immunoturbidimetric Assay for Transferrin Receptor

Abstract

We have evaluated a newly introduced immunoturbidimetric transferrin receptor assay (IdeA TfR-IT, Orion Diagnostica, Finland) in healthy subjects and in a study population consisting of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile chronic arthritis. The IdeA TfR-IT assay was found to provide reproducible results which were in good agreement with the ELISA assays from Orion Diagnostica (IDeA-ELISA, correlation R2=0.8, n=102) and R&D systems (Quantikine TfR ELISA assay, correlation R2=0.95, n=39). The analysis of the patient samples suggested that, on the basis of serum transferrin receptor and ferritin concentrations, in approximately one third of patients with rheumatoid arthritis anemia is due to the depletion of iron stores. Apparently, in all patients with rheumatoid arthritis iron deficiency must be considered as a potential cause of the anemia. Now, that assays which are suitable for automated analyzers have become available for the measurement of serum transferrin receptor, this analyte has the potential to become a part of the routine evaluation of iron status.

Effect of ethanol and aqueous extracts of seed pod ofCopaifera salikounda(Heckel) on complete Freund's adjuvant‐induced rheumatoid arthritis in rats

“…Bhujade, Talmate, and Patil () suggested that decrease in Hb during arthritis may be ascribed to reduced erythropoiten level or lowered response of the bone marrow erythropoiten and destruction of red blood cells prematurely. Most cases of anemia in rheumatoid arthritis subjects could be as a result of the depletion of iron that is stored in the body (Punnonen et al, ). Iron deficiency may also be caused by inflamed synovial tissue preferring to take up iron (Giordano, Floravanti, Sancasciani, Marcolongo, & Borghi, ).…”

Dietary manipulation in musculoskeletal conditions

“…This may be iron-deficiency anaemia resulting from gastrointestinal bleeding provoked by the use of NSAIDs, but around 60% of the time in RA patients, it is anaemia of chronic disease which is associated with the severity of the condition [102] [103]. In the latter case, there will be low levels of plasma iron despite packed iron stores [41].…”

Ferritin in Adult-Onset Still’s Disease: Just a Useful Innocent Bystander?

“…Despite the massive amounts of circulating ferritin, its saturation with iron molecules since AOSD is not associated with iron overload [40, 76, 77]. This has also been proven with the use of automated analyzers that measure the transferring receptors in the serum [78]. Moreover, since the serum-transferring receptor concentration is not altered in inflammatory states, it may be a more useful test than serum ferritin in assessing the iron stores in AOSD [79].…”