Anaemia and Iron Studies: Specialist in Dubai
Anaemia is too little haemoglobin to carry oxygen comfortably, and iron deficiency is its commonest cause worldwide — especially in women of reproductive age, in vegetarians, and in Dubai's population. The two questions are why, and how to replace it. At Smart Care Polyclinic in Deira, an internal medicine specialist finds the cause, treats it, and replaces iron by mouth or, where needed, by infusion.
For: tiredness, breathlessness, low haemoglobin or ferritin, heavy periods, restless legs
Takes: a 30-minute consultation; blood count and iron studies on site
Price: consultation AED 125
Book the internal medicine specialistor call +971 (0) 4379 3562
What it is
Ferritin is the test that shows iron stores, and it is read with care. The British Society for Haematology guideline sets out the thresholds and the trap: ferritin rises with inflammation, infection and liver disease, so a normal ferritin in someone who is unwell can hide iron deficiency, and other iron studies are used to resolve it.1 Iron deficiency without anaemia — low ferritin, normal haemoglobin — causes tiredness, hair loss and poor concentration and is worth treating in its own right.
Finding the cause matters as much as replacing the iron. In women of reproductive age it is usually menstrual loss and diet; in men and in postmenopausal women it is presumed to be blood loss from the gut until proven otherwise, and is investigated, because a bowel cancer found through an iron deficiency is found early.2 Coeliac disease and H. pylori are checked for where the history suggests them.
Replacement by mouth works for most people — a daily or alternate-day tablet for three months beyond normalising the haemoglobin to rebuild stores. Iron infusion is used where tablets are not tolerated, not absorbed, or too slow for the need — in pregnancy, before surgery, or with heavy ongoing loss — and is given in the clinic. Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency cause a different anaemia and nerve symptoms; the haematology guideline on diagnosis, including the limits of a single B12 level, is the reference.3
Other anaemias
Thalassaemia trait is common in the Gulf and South Asia, causes a mild anaemia with small red cells that looks like iron deficiency but is not, and does not need iron; the specialist tells the two apart, which matters before pregnancy. Anaemia of chronic disease, kidney disease and, rarely, bone marrow conditions are the other causes considered.
Follow-up
A blood count after four weeks shows the response; ferritin after three months shows the stores. Iron that does not respond means the cause has not been found or the iron is not being absorbed, and both are investigated rather than continued indefinitely.
The consultation, and what follows from it
Internal medicine consultation
Assessment, examination and a plan with every cost stated before anything further is done.
AED 125 was AED 200
Bookiron, B12, vitamin D, thyroid and more in one draw
Questions patients ask
The guideline thresholds depend on age and inflammation; broadly, a ferritin below 30 indicates depleted stores and below 15 confirms deficiency in a healthy adult. The specialist interprets it with the blood count and other iron studies.
Yes, in the clinic, where tablets are not tolerated, not absorbed or not fast enough. The consultation decides whether it is needed, and the infusion is quoted before booking.
Iron deficiency without anaemia causes tiredness and is treatable; so do B12 and vitamin D deficiency, thyroid disease, sleep apnoea and mood. The fatigue panel and the consultation look at all of them.
This guide is general information, not advice about you. Long-term conditions are managed on your own results and history, which is what the specialist consultation is for.
References
- Fletcher A, Forbes A, Svenson N, Wayne Thomas D, et al.. Guideline for the laboratory diagnosis of iron deficiency in adults (excluding pregnancy) and children. British Journal of Haematology. 2022;196(3):523-529. PMID 34693519. doi:10.1111/bjh.17900The British Society for Haematology guideline on diagnosing iron deficiency from ferritin and related tests, including why ferritin rises with inflammation and can mask a deficiency.
- Latimer K, Baci G, Layne M. Iron Deficiency Anemia: Evaluation and Management. American Family Physician. 2025;112(5):538-545. PMID 41252836A current review of how iron deficiency anaemia is evaluated, and why finding the cause matters as much as correcting the iron.
- Devalia V, Hamilton MS, Molloy AM, British Committee for Standards in Haematology. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of cobalamin and folate disorders. British Journal of Haematology. 2014;166(4):496-513. PMID 24942828. doi:10.1111/bjh.12959The British Committee for Standards in Haematology guideline on diagnosing vitamin B12 deficiency, including the limits of a single serum B12 level.
Sources are listed for the specific statements they support. They are published research and guidance, not a substitute for a consultation — what applies to you is decided by a doctor who has assessed you.