Transferrin Saturation % (Tests Needed: Iron, TIBC)

CPT: 83540, 83550

Expected Turnaround Time

24 Hours

Turnaround time is defined as the usual number of days from the date of pickup of a specimen for testing to when the result is released to the ordering provider. In some cases, additional time should be allowed for additional confirmatory or additional reflex tests. Testing schedules may vary.

Specimen Requirements

Specimen

Serum

Container

SST (Serum), Red Top (Separate Serum)

Storage Instructions

Room Temp., Refrigerated (2-8 C)

Stability Requirements

Room temp. 7 days, Refrigerated 7 days

Test Details

Additional Information

Iron is an essential element for several metabolic pathways and physiological processes. The maintenance of iron homeostasis within the human body requires a dynamic and highly sophisticated interplay of several proteins, as states of iron deficiency or excess are both potentially deleterious to health. Among these is plasma transferrin, which is central to iron metabolism not only through iron transport between body tissues in a soluble nontoxic form but also through its protective scavenger role in sequestering free toxic iron. 

The transferrin saturation (TSAT), an index that takes into account both plasma iron and its main transport protein, is considered an important biochemical marker of body iron status. Its increasing use in many health systems is due to the increased availability of measurement methods, such as calorimetry, turbidimetry, nephelometry, and immunochemistry to estimate its value. However, despite its frequent use in clinical practice to detect states of iron deficiency or iron overload, careful attention should be paid to the inherent limitations of the test especially in certain settings such as inflammation to avoid misinterpretation and erroneous conclusions.  

Beyond its usual clinical use, an emerging body of evidence has linked TSAT levels to major clinical outcomes such as cardiovascular mortality. This has the potential to extend the utility of TSAT index to risk stratification and prognostication. However, most of the current evidence is driven by observational studies where the risk of residual confounding cannot be fully eliminated. Indeed, future efforts are required to fully explore this capability in well-designed clinical trials or prospective large-scale cohorts. 

  

References:  

  

  1. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27346617/. 
  1. Retrieved from https://pathologytestsexplained.org.au/ptests.php?q=Transferrin+and+Total+Iron+Binding+Capacity+%28TIBC%29

Footnotes

Statement on Medical Necessity
All ordered tests should be medically necessary for the diagnosis or detection of disease, illness, impairment, symptom, syndrome, or disorder and the results should be used in the medical management and treatment decisions for the patient. Solaris requires ICD-10 codes with each order for lab testing and both the tests ordered and the diagnosis should be documented in the provider’s medical record for the patient. The United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, takes the position that a provider who orders medically unnecessary tests may be subject to civil penalties.

Panels and Profiles
Solaris offers Providers the convenience of ordering test combinations in a group at times with the flexibility to choose appropriate test(s) for individual patients. Providers should only order those tests that he or she believes are medically necessary for each patient, and a lesser inclusive profile or individual tests should be ordered if not all tests in the test combination/profile are medically necessary. All tests offered in a test combination/profile may be ordered separately as individual tests. Solaris encourages clients to contact their Solaris representative if the testing configurations shown do not meet individual needs for any reason, or if some other combination of procedures is needed.

CPT Codes
CPT Codes listed are in accordance with Current Procedural Terminology, a publication of the American Medical Association. CPT codes are the responsibility of the billing party and are listed here for informational purposes. Correct coding may vary from one carrier to another. Solaris may bill specific carriers using codes other than what is shown.

Questions?

For questions or inquiries related to testing please reach out to
customerservice@solarisdx.com or contact us by phone at (844) 550-0308.