Characteristics of healthy control subjects.

Data are means with 95% C.I. and p-values of males vs females by t-test. TS, transferrin saturation; sTfR, soluble transferrin receptor.Body iron stores were calculated on the basis of the logarithm of the concentrations in micrograms of serum transferrin receptor/serum ferritin (TfR/ferritin ratio) and expressed as milligram per kilogram body weight, as follows: body iron (mg/kg) = −[log(TfR/Ferritin ratio) −2.8229]/0.1207 [30]. Positive values represent the iron surplus in stores, while negative values represent iron deficit in tissues.