Distribution of patients according to the TSAT-ferritin index [10] (rows), the TSAT-TIBC index (columns) and the combined TSAT-TIBC-ferritin index (cells).

Data are expressed as n (%). Cells include numbers (%) for the five iron profiles defined by the combined ferritin-TSAT-TIBC index : normal, absolute ID, noninflammatory functional ID, inflammatory functional ID, and hypotransferrinaemia. Abbreviations: ID, iron deficiency; TSAT, transferrin saturation; TIBC, transferrin iron-binding capacity. TSAT-Ferritin index: normal iron status defined as TSAT≥20%, absolute ID as TSAT<20% and ferritin<40 ng/ml, and functional ID as TSAT<20% and ferritin≥40 ng/ml. TSAT-TIBC index: normal iron status defined as TIBC≥50 µmol/L and TSAT≥20%, ID as TIBC≥50 µmol/L and TSAT<20%, inflammatory syndrome as TIBC<50 µmol/L and TSAT<20%, and hypotransferrinaemia as TIBC<50 µmol/L and TSAT≥20%.