Phlebotomy, Hemochromatosis, & Ferritin

Hemochromatosis is an iron build-up in the body. It can cause problems such as fatigue, pain in the joints, and organ damage. The disease can occur naturally, from an iron-absorbing gene mutation, or from secondary causes such as anemia and alcoholism. Untreated hemochromatosis can lead to heart disease, liver cancer, and diabetes. Ferritin tests and phlebotomy treatments are normally done to diagnose and heal this disease.

Ferritin Testing

• Ferritin tests reveal how much iron is contained within the body. Ferritin is found in cells and helps to regulate iron levels. Iron deficiency occurs when ferritin levels are low. If there is too much ferritin, the condition is called iron overload. When a ferritin test is done for hemochromatosis, it is usually done to determine how much iron should be removed from the body.

Phlebotomy

• Phlebotomy is the process of drawing blood from patients for various reasons, such as donating blood or for diagnosing disease. When it comes to hemochromatosis, phlebotomy is used to control ferritin levels in blood. Patients with hemochromatosis usually have one or two pints of blood a week drawn from their body. Having this amount of blood removed from their system reduces the ferritin levels and helps the patient's body to regulate its normal blood iron level.

Maintenance Therapy

• Hemochromatosis is also kept under control through maintenance therapy, in which patients donate a pint of blood every two to four months. This process helps to keep ferritin levels from rising too high.