Iron Lvl (FE)
Department: Chemistry
Test Synonym(s): LAB94, FE, Iron Level, Iron Blood
CPT Codes: 83540
Methodology: FerroZine (without deproteinization)
Reference Range: 0 to <14yrs: 29 - 137 µg/dL; 14yrs to < 18yrs (Male): 43 – 176 µg/dL; 14yrs to < 18yrs (Female): 33 – 170 µg/dL; 18yrs and older (Male): 61 – 157 µg/dL; 18yrs and older (Female): 37 – 145 µg/dL
Tube Type: Light green top PST (Lithium Heparin with gel)
Specimen: Plasma
Alternate Specimen: Red top (no gel)
Pediatric Requirements: 1 light green top microtainers
Volume: 1 mL plasma
Minimum Volume: 1 light green top
Temperature: 7 Days at 20-250C, 3 Weeks at 2-80C, 1 Year at -200C
Stability: 20-25 C: 7 days; 2-8 C: -20 C; Frozen: Several years
Reasons for Rejection: Hemolysis, improper collection
Days Performed: Daily
Times Performed: Continuous
Significance: In patients treated with iron supplements or metal-binding drugs, the drug-bound iron may not properly react in the test, resulting in artificially low values. In the presence of high ferritin concentrations >1200 µg/L the assumption that serum iron is almost completely bound to transferrin is not valid anymore. Therefore, such iron results should not be used to calculate Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) or percent transferrin saturation (%SAT). In very rare cases, gammopathy, in particular type IgM (Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia), may cause unreliable results.
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