Medichecks Ferritin same sample, two different results

[Sneedle]

Another query!

My daughter and I both took Medichecks Iron Panel and Advanced Thyroid finger prick tests recently. The two tests used blood from the same time of taking (within a few minutes).

So we both got Ferritin results back, one in the Advanced Thyroid and one in the Iron Panel. For both of us, the Ferritin results are different from one test to another. eg for my daughter it's:

IP Ferritin 58.2

AT Ferritin 66.4

Same blood!

I'm going to ask Medichecks about this, unless someone else has experienced this and already cleared it up.

The only thing I can see is that there is a gap of about 7 days in processing - the iron result came in before the thyroid. Coud that affect the result?

Any ideas?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Sneedle

Was the Iron Panel sent to County Pathology for testing and the Advance Thyroid Test sent to INUVI for testing?

[Sneedle in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yes that's right.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Sneedle]

In that case you can't compare them. There have been past posts about ferritin result disparity with Medichecks in the past and the take away basically is stick to one lab. Take a look through this post and the links within it:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Inuvi wasn't in the picture back then, they're a "new kid on the block" so to speak. With County Pathology it seems that they have one range for all females which is 13-150 (and a different range for males which I think goes up to 400). Inuvi have different ranges for female - male - and over 60 of either sex which goes up to a rather eye popping 650!

[Also, something to bear in mind, ferritin should be looked at in conjunction with CRP. CRP is an inflammation marker so if this is raised then ferritin will also most likely be raised higher than normal as ferritin rises with inflammation.]

[Buddy195 Administrator]

When my iron panel showed (vastly) different results within a week Medichecks sent me a retest; so I would contact their customer services. However, they may only do this if the difference is great.