Clinical Evaluation of Iron Stores

IN iron-deficiency anemia the iron stores of the body are exhausted. In all other anemias the iron stores are augmented, some of the iron formerly in the red-cell mass shifting to the iron stores,1 no route of excretion being readily available.2 In hemochromatosis the iron stores are increased tremendously (Fig. 1). It is apparent, therefore, that evaluation of the iron stores affords a means of distinguishing between iron-deficiency anemia and all other anemias, and for aiding in the diagnosis of hemochromatosis.The clinician needs no further laboratory aid to recognize that the iron stores are exhausted in the heavily bleeding . . .