Abstract
Iron deficiency anemia is a pathology caused by hemoglobinosynthesis disorder, with a significant decrease in iron deposits in the body. Iron deficiency has several important causes, among which we mention: inadequate intake of iron, early childhood growth and development, pregnancy – by increased need, small but repeated bleeding, abundant menstruation, metrorrhages, fibroids, gastric or duodenal ulcer, hemorrhoidal disease, oncological pathology, malabsorption syndromes, inflammatory bowel diseases, parasitosis etc. Iron deficiency anemia can be isolated or may be in the context of chronic diseases (chronic heart failure, chronic kidney disease, inflammatory bowel syndromes, cancer) etc. Anemia can be asymptomatic for a long time. The symptoms that may appear are not specific: pallor, fatigue, lethargy, dizziness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, sweating, palpitations, insomnia. Clinical signs can highlight angular cheilitis, atrophic glossitis, dry skin, diffuse alopecia and soft nails. Decreased intelligence, depression and decreased immunity can also be due to iron deficiency. In the human body there are about 3-4 grams of iron. Ferritin is the main storehouse of iron in the body. To diagnose iron deficiency anemia, there are necessary laboratory tests for the value of hemoglobin, perform serum ferritin – the most important test, along with transferrin saturation and serum iron, since iron deficiency can exist independently of the presence of anemia. Serum ferritin loses its strength in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia in case there is concomitant inflammation, being an acute phase protein. Iron deficiency anemia always has a cause, being very important to diagnose the underlying disease and treat it. The treatment of iron deficiency anemia is carried out depending on the severity of the anemia and depending on the patient’s condition, with oral, parenteral preparations or even blood transfusions. The treatment follows a serum ferritin value above 50 ng/mL.
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