Serum concentration of iron, transferrin saturation and total iron bin
ding capacity (TIBC) were measured on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 13 in
36 Thai patients with trauma (burns excluded) to determine temporal c
hanges in iron metabolism. Throughout the study profound hypoferraemia
was observed in association with decreased transferrin saturation. TI
BC, in contrast, did not differ significantly from that in controls. T
hese findings confirm previous reports which describe altered iron met
abolism in association with an adverse event, a response known as 'str
ess hypoferraemia', and extends these observations to non-burned patie
nts with trauma. The degree of hypoferraemia in patients in this study
was not related to sepsis, Injury Severity Score, volume of blood tra
nsfused or surgery, suggesting that hypoferraemia following trauma is
an independent event. The recognition of rapid and prolonged iron sequ
estration provides insight into the clinical condition of patients wit
h trauma.