Hemoglobin drops late.
Iron can run low long before anemia shows on a blood count.
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RET-He (reticulocyte hemoglobin)
Finding iron deficiency earlier, from the routine blood count
Dr Swati Pai explains how RET-He shows whether iron is reaching the newest red blood cells, often before anemia appears.
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Recorded at a live clinical education session on 8 October 2026. For education only and not medical advice. The views expressed are the speaker’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of World Anemia Awareness, which does not endorse any specific product or test.
Dr Swati Pai
Principal Consultant, Haematopathology and Clinical Pathology
Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru
“To me, RET-He is a true Iron Man.”
Why it matters
Ferritin can mislead.
Inflammation raises ferritin, so a normal result can hide low iron.
No extra tube.
Reticulocyte hemoglobin is reported from the same sample as the routine blood count.
What the talk covers
For clinicians and laboratory teams who want a clearer, earlier picture of iron status.
- Recognizing iron-restricted red cell production
- Reading iron status when inflammation is present
- Following the response to iron treatment
- Supporting clinical decisions
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