Diurnal variations of iron metabolism in normal persons and in patients with hematologic diseases

Abstract

The Plasma Iron Turnover (P.I.T.) rate was estimated at 3 and 10 P.M. in 6 normal subjects, 8 polycythemia vera patients without treatment, 4 cases of nodular non-toxic goiter, 3 patients with hyperthyroidism and 3 Thalassemia Major patients.

In normals and in patients without hematological abnormalities, the P.I.T. rate was significantly diminished during the evening, with a decrease in the plas­ma iron concentration and an increase in the plasma iron clearance (T1/2Fe59). In Polycythemia Vera and Thalassemia Major, the P.I.T. rate seems to be mantained fairly constant.