On Monday, December 17, 2001, the Clinical Chemistry Laboratory of the Department of Pathology will begin accepting specimens for the Soluble Transferrin Receptor assay (STFR). STFR is useful in distinguishing anemia of chronic disease from iron deficiency. The STFR will be increased in iron deficiency. Unlike ferritin, STFR is not an acute phase reactant and is not influenced by inflammation. STFR is also not influenced by acute liver disease or malignancy. In addition to iron deficiency elevated STFR values are also found in polycythemia, hemolytic anemia, thalassemia, hereditary spherocytoses, sickle cell anemia, megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B12 and folate deficiency, and myelodysplastic syndromes.

Initially the assay will be run on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. There is an 11:00 AM cutoff for samples. Increased service will be provided if demand warrants. Acceptable samples are a speckled top SST Vacutainer or one yellow top microtube. Reference ranges are; males: 2.2-4.5 mg/L and females: 1.8-4.6 mg/L. Values tend to be higher in infants and children. To order, use a miscellaneous requisition and write soluble transferrin receptor or STFR. Deliver to Specimen Control, 6240 RCP The charge for the test is $43.00. Questions can be directed to Ronald Feld, Ph.D. at 356-1759.

STR Bibliography

R’zik S, Beguin Y. Serum soluble transferrin receptor concentration is an accurate estimate of the mass of tissue receptors. Experimental Hematology 29(6):677-85, 2001.

Dimitriou H, Stiakaki E, Markaki EA, Bolonaki I, Giannakopoulou C, Kalmanti M. Soluble transferrin receptor levels and soluble transferrin receptor/log ferritin index in the evaluation of erythropoietic status in childhood infections and malignancy. Acta Paediatrica 89(10):1169-73, 2000.

Holmberg L. Soluble transferrin receptor in the diagnosis of anemia and iron deficiency in childhood. Acta Paediatrica 89(10):1152-3, 2000.

Lorenzo JD, Rodriguez MM, Martin SS, Romo JM. Assessment of erythropoiesis activity during hemodialysis therapy by soluble transferrin receptor levels and ferrokinetic measurements. American Journal of Kidney Diseases 37(3):550-6, 2001.

Means RT Jr, Allen J, Sears DA, Schuster SJ. Serum soluble transferrin receptor and the prediction of marrow aspirate iron results in a heterogeneous group of patients. Clinical & Laboratory Haematology 21(3):161-7, 1999.

Allen J, Backstrom KR, Cooper JA, Copper MC, Detwiler TC, Essex DW, Fritz RP, Means RT Jr, Meier PB, Pearlman SR, Roitman-Johnson B, Seligman PA. Measurement of soluble transferrin receptor in serum of healthy adults. Clinical Chemistry 44(1):35-9, 1998.

Choi JW, Kim CS, Pai SH. Erythropoietic activity and soluble transferrin receptor level in neonates and maternal blood. Acta Paediatrica 89(6):675-9, 2000.

De Block CE, Van Campenhout CM, De Leeuw IH, Keenoy BM, Martin M, Van Hoof V, Van Gaal LF. Soluble transferrin receptor level: a new marker of iron deficiency anemia, a common manifestation of gastric autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care 23(9):1384-8, 2000.

Punnonen K, Suominen P, Kuusinen A, Kuiper-Kramer E. Clinical use of soluble transferrin receptor. Clinical Chemistry & Laboratory Medicine 38(4):377, 2000.

Daschner M, Mehls O, Schaefer F. Soluble transferrin receptor is correlated with erythropoietin sensitivity in dialysis patients. Clinical Nephrology 52(4):246-52, 1999.

Cook JD. The measurement of serum transferrin receptor. American Journal of the Medical Sciences 318(4):269-76, 1999.

Nagral A, Mehta AB, Gomes AT, Ellis G, Jackson BF, Sabin CA, McIntyre N. Serum soluble transferrin receptor in the diagnosis of iron deficiency in chronic liver disease. Clinical & Laboratory Haematology 21(2):93-7, 1999.

Takubo T, Yamane Y, Hino M, Hashimoto S, Koh KR, Sakamoto C, Kamitani T, Tatsumi N, Hikawa A. The value of serum soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) determination in hematological malignancies. Haematologia 29(3):259-60, 1998.

Maes M, Bosmans E, Scharpe S, Hendriks D, Cooremans W, Neels H, De Meyer F, D’Hondt P, Peeters D. Components of biological variation in serum soluble transferrin receptor: relationships to serum iron, transferrin and ferritin concentrations, and immune and haematological variables. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical & Laboratory Investigation 57(1):31-41, 1997.