A Case of Recurrent Syncope and Depressive-Anxious Symptoms Associated with Iron Deficiency without Anemia in a Young Woman
2026 Volume 2 Issue 1 Pages 431-436
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2026 Volume 2 Issue 1 Pages 431-436
Background: Non-anemic iron deficiency has been suggested to be associated with psychiatric and autonomic symptoms; however, it remains insufficiently evaluated in routine psychiatric practice.
Case: A 26-year-old woman had experienced depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and recurrent sync ope since adolescence and had been treated with psychotropic medications, including etizolam, und er diagnoses of major depressive disorder and panic disorder. At the initial examination, her hemo globin level was 14.3 g/dL without anemia, whereas ferritin was 11.2 ng/mL. Oral ferrous sulfate 105 mg ,two tablets/ day and ascorbic acid 200 mg / day were initiated. Soon after initiation of i ron supplementation, syncope resolved; ferritin subsequently increased to 58.9 ng/mL, and depressi ve-anxious symptoms gradually improved, allowing discontinuation of psychotropic medication. Dur ing long-term follow-up, ferritin remained around 150 ng/mL without recurrence of psychiatric sy mptoms.
Conclusion: In patients presenting with recurrent syncope and depressive-anxious symptoms, assess ment of iron metabolism including ferritin, rather than hemoglobin alone, may be clinically inform ative when considering nutritional intervention.
