In a situation where serum iron is low and the percent saturation is only 10%, what is the implication?

When serum iron levels are low and the percent saturation is only 10%, this is indicative of iron deficiency. In the context of iron metabolism, serum iron measures the amount of iron present in the blood, while percent saturation refers to the percentage of transferrin (the iron transport protein in the blood) that is bound with iron. A low serum iron level combined with a low percent saturation suggests that there is not enough iron available for essential physiological functions, such as hemoglobin production, which can lead to anemia.

Iron deficiency typically arises from various factors, including inadequate dietary intake, increased physiological demand (such as in pregnancy), chronic blood loss (from conditions like gastrointestinal bleeding or heavy menstrual periods), or malabsorption syndromes. The significant deviation in percent saturation hints that the body is unable to maintain normal iron levels, further corroborating the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia.

Other conditions like chronic disease could lead to low serum iron levels, but they usually present with normal or elevated ferritin levels and higher percent saturation levels, indicating that the iron is present but not mobilized appropriately. Hyperlipidemia does not directly influence serum iron levels or percent saturation and is unrelated to the findings presented. Thus, the combination of low serum iron and percent saturation is