A patient is suspected of having iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Which laboratory value would the nurse evaluate as supporting this diagnosis?
1. High levels of ferritin
2. Low levels of serum transferrin
3. Increased total iron binding capacity (TIBC)
4. High hematocrit level
3
Rationale 1: Ferritin is an iron-storage protein that is produced in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. High ferritin levels are related to the amount of iron stored in the body tissues and would not indicate IDA.
Rationale 2: Serum transferrin, also referred to a total iron binding capacity, increases in IDA to harvest more iron from the intestine.
Rationale 3: TIBC increases as a compensatory attempt to harvest more iron from the intestines; thus, its value increases in IDA.
Rationale 4: A high hematocrit level indicates hemoconcentration resulting from dehydration, which does not typically occur in IDA.
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