Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Content as the Best Indicator of Iron Deficiency in Female Patients with Diffuse Non-Scarring Hair Loss

The study on 51 female patients with diffuse non-scarring hair loss and iron deficiency found that reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) was the most reliable indicator of iron deficiency, with 98% of patients showing low CHr levels. CHr was superior to transferrin saturation (TSAT) and serum ferritin, which showed low levels in 84.3% and 54.9% of patients, respectively. CHr provided a real-time assessment of iron availability and was less affected by inflammation, making it a superior diagnostic tool. The study was limited by its cross-sectional design and lack of control groups.