Blood, 1965, Vol. 25, No. 6, pp. 976-989.
© 1965 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
Studies of Plasma Fe59 Disappearance—A Manifestation of
Ineffective Erythropoiesis and of Hemolysis
NORMAN R. GEVIRTZ 1,
LOUIS R. WASSERMAN 1,
LENA SHARNEY 1, and
DINA TENDLER 1
1 Department of Hematology, The Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City, and
the Systems Research Group, Mineola, L. I.
1. Studies of the plasma radioiron disappearance data have revealed a
relative "elevation" of plasma radioactivity after the second day in normal
subjects, and after the first day in patients with hemolytic anemia, megaloblastic anemia and thalassemia. This elevation in plasma radioactivity in normal subjects may be interpreted as due to the return to plasma of radioiron
from those cells that are "ineffectively" produced and are hemolyzed in the
marrow. Other interpretations are also presented.
2. Dyspoieses involving ineffective red cell economy, but not detectably affecting iron economy are contrasted with disorders involving ineffective
utilization of iron and of pigment alone.
3. After the first day plasma radioiron activity shows a diurnal variation
similar to the diurnal variation in plasma iron concentration.
Submitted on July 17, 1964
Accepted on September 29, 1964
