Transferrin

🔬 Key Clinical Uses

1. Assessment of Iron Deficiency

↑ Transferrin in iron deficiency anemia (body tries to capture more iron).

↓ Transferrin saturation (<15–20%) is an early marker of iron deficiency.

2. Iron Overload States

↓ Transferrin with ↑ transferrin saturation (>45–50%) in:

Hemochromatosis

Repeated blood transfusions

3. Anemia of Chronic Disease (ACD)

Normal or ↓ transferrin

Low serum iron but normal or increased ferritin

Helps distinguish ACD from iron deficiency anemia.

4. Nutritional Status

Transferrin is a negative acute-phase reactant:

↓ in malnutrition, protein deficiency

↓ in chronic illness or inflammation

5. Liver Disease

↓ transferrin synthesis in chronic liver disease

Reflects impaired hepatic protein production.

6. Inflammation & Infection

↓ transferrin during acute or chronic inflammation

Part of the body’s defense to limit iron availability to pathogens

📊 Related Laboratory Parameters

Serum transferrin

Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) – indirect measure of transferrin

Transferrin saturation (%) = (Serum iron / TIBC) × 100

🧠 Clinical Summary

High transferrin → iron deficiency

Low transferrin → chronic disease, liver disease, malnutrition

High transferrin saturation → iron overload

Low transferrin saturation → iron deficiency