Clinical studies on iron kinetics. I. Iron-kinetics studies in blood disorders.

Ferrokinetics data on patients with blood disorders of diverse etiology were presented and the clinical implication of this test was discussed. Ferrokinetics data on normal adults as well as on the aged were also presented. Ferrokinetic patterns of ineffective erythropoiesis were obtained on patients with pernicious anemia, erythroleukemia, myelofibrosis, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and refractory anemia as well. Ferrokinetic studies on patients with portal hypertension with congestive splenomegaly have disclosed that the erythropoietic activity in this condition is rather increased and the liver damage does not necessarily exert inhibitory effect on erythropoiesis in these patients. The studies on patients with acute leukemia did not reveal the patterns typical of each cell type of leukemia, and the results indicate that the myelophthisic effect due to the encloachment of leukemic cells is a major factor in the development of anemia in acute leukemia. Finally, it is stressed that the ferrokinetic measurements with body surface counting are of great use in diagnosis and treatment of patients with myeloproliferative syndrome.