Conventional biochemical markers for assessing Iron status such as serum iron, transferrin or ferritin can be drastically disturbed during inflammation with an acute phase response or in the presence of severe disease to make the clinical interpretation difficult or impossible. RET-He reflects the bio-availability of iron even if the serum ferritin is raised non-specifically by disease or inflammation.

It is recommended to use RET-He as a marker of iron availability rather than Transferrin/Iron/Transferrin saturation as a marker of iron availability except in special circumstances.

The units of RET-He are pico grams (pg). Sample required is an FBC sample (the sample sent for FBC can be used – an additional sample is not required).

RET-He of <28pg indicates reduced iron availability to recently matured red cells.

If the ferritin is also low treatment with oral iron should be sufficient.

If the ferritin is normal (but not increased) and the patient is on Erythropoietin treatment but not responding then intravenous iron may be used.  (NICE guidance 2015)

Test Details

• Discipline:

  Haematology

  Haematology

• Specimen Container Adult:

  Purple – EDTA

  Purple – EDTA

• Specimen Container Paediatric:

  Light Pink – EDTA

  Light Pink – EDTA

• Minimum Volume Adult:

  1 mL

  1 mL

• Minimum Volume Paediatric:

  0.5 mL

  0.5 mL

• Special Requirement:

  Ensure adequate mixing

  Ensure adequate mixing

• Sample Stability:

  24 hrs

  24 hrs

• Transport Requirements:

  Samples should be transported to the lab without delay

  Samples should be transported to the lab without delay

• Freq Analysis:

  Continuous

  Continuous

• Add On Test:

  tnu-tr.bloodsciencesadditions@nhs.net (internal)

  tnu-tr.bloodsciencesadditions@nhs.net (internal)

• Quality Assurance:

  Local EQA scheme

  Local EQA scheme

• Reference Ranges:

  Normal >28 pg/mL

  Normal >28 pg/mL

• Other Info:

  Requested as an additional test to a full blood count

  Requested as an additional test to a full blood count

• Routine Contact Name:

  RVI or Freeman Section Leaders

• Routine Telephone:

  RVI: 0191 2820332, Freeman: 0191 2231195

  RVI: 0191 2820332, Freeman: 0191 2231195

• Specialist Test:

  No

  No

• Specialist Contact Name:

  Haematology and Haemostasis Healthcare Scientist

  Haematology and Haemostasis Healthcare Scientist

• Specialist Telephone:

  0191 2139758

  0191 2139758

• Specialist Email:

  alison.brown93@nhs.net

  alison.brown93@nhs.net