Iron and Total Iron-Binding Capacity, Serum

Code: 60040
Keywords/Mnemonics: TIBC, FE
Updated: 09/07/2012

Specimen Required:

1 gold top serum gel tube. Send 1.0 mL (minimum 0.5 mL) serum refrigerated.

Patient Prep:

Fasting. Nothing by mouth except water and any required medications for 12 hours before being drawn.

Iron supplements should be avoided for 24 hours prior to draw.

Iron concentrations exhibit diurnal variation, with the highest values being obtained in the morning. Because of this diurnal variation, iron values may vary by up to 30% during the course of the day.

Reference Values:

Iron

Age Range	Male (µg/dL)	Female (µg/dL)
0-90 days	94-237	100-275
91 days-12 months	30-166	85-224
13 months-3 years	33-147	78-189
4-10 years	20-149	40-143
11-14 years	42-125	36-119
15-18 years	39-152	36-125
> 18 years	35-150	50-170

Total Iron Binding Capacity

Age Range	Male (µg/dL)	Female (µg/dL)
0-90 days	155-330	165-275
91 days-12 months	150-380	250-455
13 months-3 years	215-420	160-415
4-10 years	185-415	260-385
11-14 years	265-410	250-420
> 14 years	250-450

Percent Transferrin Saturation: 14-52%
Unbound Iron Binding Capacity: 110-370 mcg/dL

Critical Value for Iron (for assessing overdose): > 350 µg/dL

Reference: Clinica Chimica Acta 342 (2004).

Days Performed:

Monday-Saturday

Days Reported:

Monday-Saturday

Interference:

Hemolyzed specimens affect Iron and TIBC results.
Lipemic specimens affect TIBC results.
Measurements of Total Iron Binding Capacity may be inaccurate if performed within 14 days of IV iron dextran administration.
Iron values may remain elevated for several weeks after administration of therapeutic iron-containing compounds such as iron dextran.

Rejection:

Moderately hemolyzed.
Specimen not refrigerated.
Specimen not collected in gel tube.

Methodology:

Bichromatic Endpoint

CPT Code(s):

83540 Iron
83550 Iron Binding Capacity

Iron and Total Iron-Binding Capacity, Serum

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