Ferritin and iron studies in anaemia and chronic disease.

Anaemia is a condition in which the number of red cells necessary to meet the body's physiological requirements is insufficient. Iron deficiency anaemia and the anaemia of chronic disease are the two most common causes of anaemia worldwide;1 iron homeostasis plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of both diseases. An understanding of how iron studies can be used to distinguish between these diseases is therefore essential not only for diagnosis but also in guiding management. This review will primarily focus on iron deficiency anaemia and anaemia of chronic disease; however, iron overload in anaemia will also be briefly discussed.