Book Review

Iron Metabolism in Health and Disease

N Engl J Med 1994; 331:1725December 22, 1994

Article

Iron Metabolism in Health and Disease
Edited by Jeremy H. Brock, June W. Halliday, Martin J. Pippard, and Lawrie W. Powell. 485 pp., illustrated. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1994. $79. ISBN: 0-7020-1732-9

The intricacies of biologic systems are unraveled in fits and starts. Rapid advances in knowledge create new models and paradigms that form the basis of subsequent investigation. Iron Metabolism in Health and Disease eloquently captures the current state of knowledge in this field.

The first chapter lays out the central role of iron in a multitude of redox reactions that make the element essential to all life on earth. The chapters that follow discuss the cell and molecular biology of the principal proteins of iron metabolism, transferrin and ferritin, along with a host of supporting characters. Later, the biology of iron merges with pathophysiology in chapters on disorders of iron metabolism. The authors' agreement on the broad principles of the biology of iron shows in the concordance of information in the various chapters. The disagreements and perplexities that exist with regard to some of the specific mechanisms of the system are fairly presented. The citations provide a balanced starting point for readers wishing to pursue these issues, however.

Biology defies attempts at compartmentalization. Not surprisingly, there is overlap as the chapters in the book attempt to elucidate the various steps of iron metabolism. With a few exceptions, however, the authors dwell largely on their central topics, with supporting information included only to the degree that it makes a chapter intelligible independently of the remainder of the book. Overall, the book is remarkably up to date, and it includes a number of references that are only a year old. In addition, it covers several emerging areas of interest that have not been included in previous books on iron metabolism, such as the use of iron chelators to diminish postperfusion tissue injury.

The target audience for the book is broad. People in career stages ranging from medical school to the practice of hematology will find help with the current issues in iron metabolism. Biomedical scientists will be pleased not only with the extensive and current list of references, but also with the guidance provided regarding “generally accepted” positions on subjects on which there are conflicting bodies of literature. Iron Metabolism in Health and Disease has the quality and depth that will make it a standard for years.

Kenneth Bridges, M.D.
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115