American Society of Hematology issues new iron deficiency guidelines

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) has released its first evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for diagnosing iron deficiency. The new protocols involve increasing ferritin thresholds to ensure earlier detection of cases that previously went undiagnosed.

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency globally, affecting approximately two billion people, or one in three individuals. In the United States alone, it is estimated to affect 10 million adults. Despite the availability of effective treatments, up to 70% of cases in high-risk groups often go undetected due to inconsistent laboratory reference ranges and limited screening.

The guidelines, published in Blood Advances, apply to adults, young children, menstruating individuals, pregnant women, and patients with inflammation. The initiative aims to standardize ferritin levels and reduce missed diagnoses, a move recently highlighted by the journal JAMA.