Erythrocyte Protoporphyrin CDC guidelines for prevention, detection and treatment of iron deficiency http://www.ironpanel.org.au/AIS/AISdocs/labq1ab.htm
Erythrocyte protoporphyrin is the immediate precursor of Hb
The concentration of erythrocyte protoporphyrin in blood increases when insufficient iron is available for Hb production
EP can be easily measured using a hematofluorometer which requires only a couple of drops of blood and minimal technical experience
Inexpensive, clinic-based methods have been developed for measuring erythrocyte protoporphyrin concentration, but these methods can be less reliable than other laboratory methods