A combination of serum iron, ferritin and transferrin predicts outcome in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

Association of a high-serum ferritin with poor outcome showed that iron might play a detrimental role in the brain after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Here, we investigated changes in serum iron, ferritin, transferrin (Tf) and ceruloplasmin (CP) in patients with ICH (n = 100) at day 1 (admission), 3, 7, 14 and 21 and those in control subjects (n = 75). The hematoma and edema volumes were also determined in ICH-patients on admission and at day 3. The Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 59 patients was ≥3 (poor outcome) and 41 < 3 (good outcome) at day 90. Serum ferritin was significantly higher and serum iron and Tf markedly lower in patients with poor-outcome than the corresponding values in patients with good-outcome at day 1 to 7 and those in the controls. There was a significant positive correlation between serum ferritin and relative edema volume or ratio at day 1 and 3 and hematoma volume at day 1 (n = 28), and a negative correlation between serum iron or Tf and hematoma volume at day 1 (n = 100). We concluded that not only increased serum ferritin but also reduced serum iron and Tf are associated with outcome as well as hematoma volume.