Serum ferritin spectrotypes in patients with heterozygous beta-thalassaemia.

Serum ferritin spectrotypes from patients heterozygous for beta-thalassaemia were determined after agarose isoelectric focusing followed by radio-immunofixation with anti-ferritin antibody. Multivariate analysis demonstrated a specific spectrotype for heterozygous beta-thalassaemia. This spectrotype was shown to be different from those in hereditary spherocytosis and idiopathic haemochromatosis. Statistical discrimination reached 100% of well-classified patients between these pathological conditions.