The Median 95% Reference Intervals Currently in Use and as Suggested by the Results of This Study
| Analyte . | 95% Reference Intervals at TUCH . | Study Population Before Supplementation . | Study Population After Supplementation . |
|---|---|---|---|
| sTfR | 1.3-3.3 mg/L | 1.12-3.57 mg/L | 1.15-2.75 mg/L |
| Ferritin | |||
| Men | 20-240 μg/L | 14-188 μg/L | 22-203 μg/L |
| Women | 10-100 μg/L | 7-76 μg/L | 17-123 μg/L |
| TfR-F Index | — | 0.57-4.02 | 0.63-1.8 |
| Transferrin | 1.75-3.13 mg/L | 1.8-3.6 mg/L | 1.9-3.4 mg/L |
| Iron | 10-40 μmol/L | 9-41 μmol/L | 10-38 μmol/L |
| Analyte . | 95% Reference Intervals at TUCH . | Study Population Before Supplementation . | Study Population After Supplementation . |
|---|---|---|---|
| sTfR | 1.3-3.3 mg/L | 1.12-3.57 mg/L | 1.15-2.75 mg/L |
| Ferritin | |||
| Men | 20-240 μg/L | 14-188 μg/L | 22-203 μg/L |
| Women | 10-100 μg/L | 7-76 μg/L | 17-123 μg/L |
| TfR-F Index | — | 0.57-4.02 | 0.63-1.8 |
| Transferrin | 1.75-3.13 mg/L | 1.8-3.6 mg/L | 1.9-3.4 mg/L |
| Iron | 10-40 μmol/L | 9-41 μmol/L | 10-38 μmol/L |
The 95% reference intervals for the different parameters of iron status in the Turku University Central Hospital (TUCH) are compared with the 95% reference intervals suggested by the results of our study. The effective reference intervals in the hospital have been derived from large population samples of apparently healthy, nonanemic individuals, whereas the reference intervals of our study were determined from our population sample of apparently healthy, nonanemic adults (n = 65) before and after a 3-month iron supplementation period.
Abbreviations: sTfR, serum transferrin receptor; TfR-F Index, sTfR/log ferritin.