Which pattern of iron labs is typical in the acute phase response?

Which pattern of iron labs is typical in the acute phase response?

• A. Serum iron high; ferritin low
• B. Serum iron low; ferritin high
• C. Serum iron high; ferritin high
• D. Serum iron normal; ferritin low

Answer: (B)

During acute inflammation the body clamps down on iron release to limit pathogen use, a shift driven by cytokines like IL-6 and the hormone hepcidin. This causes iron to be sequestered in storage sites and reduces its presence in the bloodstream, so serum iron falls. At the same time, ferritin rises because it acts as an acute-phase reactant and reflects increased iron storage and inflammatory activity. Put together, the typical pattern in the acute phase response is low serum iron with high ferritin. That’s why the described pattern matches the inflammatory state best: low serum iron because iron is being held away from circulation, and high ferritin because ferritin levels rise during inflammation. The other patterns would not reflect this sequestration and acute-phase increase.

During acute inflammation the body clamps down on iron release to limit pathogen use, a shift driven by cytokines like IL-6 and the hormone hepcidin. This causes iron to be sequestered in storage sites and reduces its presence in the bloodstream, so serum iron falls. At the same time, ferritin rises because it acts as an acute-phase reactant and reflects increased iron storage and inflammatory activity. Put together, the typical pattern in the acute phase response is low serum iron with high ferritin.

That’s why the described pattern matches the inflammatory state best: low serum iron because iron is being held away from circulation, and high ferritin because ferritin levels rise during inflammation. The other patterns would not reflect this sequestration and acute-phase increase.