Guidelines on haemovigilance of post-transfusional iron overload

Iron deficiency and supplementation in heart failure

Non-anaemic iron deficiency (NAID) is a strategic target in cardiovascular medicine because of its association with a range of adverse effects in various conditions. Endeavours to tackle NAID in heart failure have yielded mixed results, exposing knowledge gaps in how best to define 'iron deficiency' and the handling of iron therapies by the body. To address these gaps, we harness the latest understanding of the mechanisms of iron homeostasis outside the erythron and integrate clinical and preclinical lines of evidence. The emerging picture is that current definitions of iron deficiency do not assimilate the multiple influences at play in patients with heart failure and, consequently, fail to identify those with a truly unmet need for iron. Additionally, current iron supplementation therapies benefit only certain patients with heart failure, reflecting differences in the nature of the unmet need for iron and the modifying effects of anaemia and inflammation on the handling of iron therapies by the body. Building on these insights, we identify untapped opportunities in the management of NAID, including the refinement of current approaches and the development of novel strategies. Lessons learned from NAID in cardiovascular disease could ultimately translate into benefits for patients with other chronic conditions such as chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer.

The effect of red blood cell disorders on male fertility and reproductive health

Male infertility is defined as a failure to conceive after 12 months of unprotected intercourse owing to suspected male reproductive factors. Non-malignant red blood cell disorders are systemic conditions that have been associated with male infertility with varying severity and strength of evidence. Hereditary haemoglobinopathies and bone marrow failure syndromes have been associated with hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis dysfunction, hypogonadism, and abnormal sperm parameters. Bone marrow transplantation is a potential cure for these conditions, but exposes patients to potentially gonadotoxic chemotherapy and/or radiation that could further impair fertility. Iron imbalance might also reduce male fertility. Thus, disorders of hereditary iron overload can cause iron deposition in tissues that might result in hypogonadism and impaired spermatogenesis, whereas severe iron deficiency can propagate anaemias that decrease gonadotropin release and sperm counts. Reproductive urologists should be included in the comprehensive care of patients with red blood cell disorders, especially when gonadotoxic treatments are being considered, to ensure fertility concerns are appropriately evaluated and managed.

New frontiers in neonatal red blood cell transfusion research

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are common in neonates requiring intensive care. Recent studies have compared restricted versus liberal transfusion guidelines, but limitations exist on evaluations of outcomes in populations that never required a transfusion compared to those receiving any transfusion. Although there are well-established risks associated with RBC transfusions, new data has emerged that suggests additional clinically relevant associations, including adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, donor sex differences, and inflammation or immunosuppression. Further research is needed to delineate the magnitude of these risks and to further improve the safety of transfusions. The goal of this review is to highlight underappreciated, yet clinically important risks associated with neonatal RBC transfusions and to introduce several areas in which neonates may uniquely benefit from alterations in practice.

From Unit to Dose: A Machine Learning Approach for Precise Prediction of Hemoglobin and Iron Content in Individual Packed Red Blood Cell Units

Transfusion of packed red blood cells (pRBCs) saves lives, but iron overload limits survival of chronically transfused patients. Quality control methods, which involve entering pRBC units and removing them from the blood supply, reveal that hemoglobin (38.5-79.9 g) and heme iron (133.42-276.89 mg) vary substantially between pRBCs. Yet, neither hemoglobin nor iron content can be quantified for individual clinically used pRBCs leading to rules of thumb for pRBC transfusions. Keeping their integrity, the authors seek to predict hemoglobin/iron content of any given pRBC unit applying eight machine learning models on 6,058 pRBCs. Based on thirteen features routinely collected during blood donation, production and quality control testing, the model with best trade-off between performance and complexity in hemoglobin/iron content prediction is identified. Validation of this model in an independent cohort of 2637 pRBCs confirms an adjusted R² > 0.9 corresponding to a mean absolute prediction error of ≤1.43 g hemoglobin/4.96 mg iron (associated standard deviation: ≤1.13 g hemoglobin/3.92 mg iron). Such unprecedented precise prediction enables reliable pRBC dosing per pharmaceutically active agent, and monitoring iron uptake in patients and individual iron loss in donors. The model is implemented in a free open source web application to facilitate clinical application.

Medication Regularity of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Aplastic Anemia Based on Data Mining

Objective

Aplastic anemia (AA) is an uncommon disease, characterized by pancytopenia and hypocellular bone marrow, but it is common in the blood system. The medication rules of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of AA are not clear, for which it is worth exploring the medication rules by data mining methods.

Methods

This study used SPSS Modeler 18.0 and SPSS statistics to analyze the cases of AA from Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (ZJHCM) from March 1, 2019, to March 1, 2022. Data mining methods, including frequency analysis, cluster analysis, and association rule learning, were performed in order to explore the medication rules for AA.

Results

(1) A total of 859 prescriptions, which met the inclusion criteria, consisted of 255 herbs. In descending order of the frequency of herbal medicine, we have Danggui, Huangqi, Shudihuang, Fuling, Gancao, Shanyao, Shanzhuyu, Baizhu, Dangshen, and Xianhecao. (2) Frequency analysis of herb properties: the Four Qi of 255 kinds of TCMs are mainly warm and neutral medicines. The Five Flavors are mainly sweet medicines, followed by bitter medicines. The main meridians are the liver, spleen, and kidney. (3) Clustering of medications: TCMs with the top 20 frequencies are classified into 9 groups by cluster analysis. (4) Association rule analysis of high-frequency herbs: using the Apriori algorithm, the results showed that there were 3 herb pairs with support of over 0.3 and 12 herb pairs with confidence above 0.85.

Conclusion

The basic pathogenesis of AA (Sui Lao) is spleen and kidney essence deficiency, Qi deficiency, and blood stasis. The main herbs have warm and neutral properties, sweet tastes, and liver, spleen, and kidney meridian tropisms, whose purpose is to tonify the kidney and invigorate the spleen, tonify Qi, and promote blood circulation.

Identifying Gingival Pigmentation Patterns and Skin Color and Its Co-relation With Serum Ferritin Levels in Thalassemic Patients

Background: Patients with β-thalassemia major (β-TM), a genetic issue due to hemoglobin (Hb) synthesis disorder, require life-long erythrocyte transfusion. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare gingival pigmentation and skin color with serum ferritin levels of patients with β-TM, using the Dummett's oral pigmentation index (DOPI) and Fitzpatrick skin scale, respectively.

Methods: A total of 100 patients were monitored at a thalassemia care center. Each patient's gingival pigmentation and skin color were matched with DOPI and the skin scale under natural light. Serum ferritin levels, the interval of blood transfusions, and iron chelation medications were studied. A gingival pigmentation score and skin color type were compared with the serum ferritin.

Results: A significant correlation was found between age, serum ferritin, pigmentation score, and skin color, which means as serum ferritin level increases, gingival pigmentation score increases, and skin color darkens.

Conclusion: This study evaluated the correlation between gingival pigmentation and skin color with serum ferritin levels and established gingival pigmentation as a sign of iron deposition in β-TM patients. This is the simplest and least invasive method for evaluating serum ferritin level parameters in β-TM patients.

Iron Chelators in Treatment of Iron Overload

Patients suffering from iron overload can experience serious complications. In such patients, various organs, such as endocrine glands and liver, can be damaged. Although iron is a crucial element for life, iron overload can be potentially toxic for human cells due to its role in generating free radicals. In the past few decades, there has been a major improvement in the survival of patients who suffer from iron overload due to the application of iron chelation therapy in clinical practice. In clinical use, deferoxamine, deferiprone, and deferasirox are the three United States Food and Drug Administration-approved iron chelators. Each of these iron chelators is well known for the treatment of iron overload in various clinical conditions. Based on several up-to-date studies, this study explained iron overload and its clinical symptoms, introduced each of the above-mentioned iron chelators, and evaluated their advantages and disadvantages with an emphasis on combination therapy, which in recent studies seems a promising approach. In numerous clinical conditions, due to the lack of accurate indicators, choosing a standard approach for iron chelation therapy can be difficult; therefore, further studies on the issue are still required. This study aimed to introduce each of these iron chelators, combination therapy, usage doses, specific clinical applications, and their advantages, toxicity, and side effects.

Investigating the Role of Ferritin in Determining Sexual Underdevelopment in Beta-Thalassemia Major Patients: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From Pakistan

Background

Beta-thalassemia major, a genetic disorder, delineates a vast spectrum of hematological and endocrinological complications. Elevated serum ferritin levels in beta-thalassemia patients represent various transfusion-related complications including infection, hemochromatosis, and severe iron overload that might lead to endocrinopathies such as hypogonadism leading to sexual underdevelopment. Our study, thus, aims to explore the role of ferritin in determining sexual underdevelopment in such patients. 

Methods

This multicentric cross-sectional study included a total of 120 beta-thalassemia patients. The sexual development of the patients was assessed using the Tanner staging system. Serum ferritin levels and other demographical parameters of the patients were collected. Independent-samples t-test, chi-square test, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to analyze the data.

Results

Out of 120 patients, 70 patients were males with a mean age of 18.95 ± 4.21 years. According to the Tanner staging system, 48 patients were sexually underdeveloped while 72 patients achieved sexual maturity. ROC curve analysis showed that ferritin levels at a cutoff value of 4900 mg/dL were 73.7% sensitive and 71.1% specific to predict sexual underdevelopment in beta-thalassemia patients.

Conclusions

Elevated serum ferritin levels were moderately sensitive and specific in predicting sexual underdevelopment in beta-thalassemia patients. This can serve as a low-cost parameter in determining sexual underdevelopment in such patients. More prospective cohort studies are needed to establish the association between elevated serum ferritin levels and sexual underdevelopment.

Challenges in the management of acute intermittent porphyria with recurrent attacks during pregnancy: A case report

In cases of recurrent attacks of acute porphyria during pregnancy, prophylactic administration of heme arginate should be considered. Clinical and biochemical monitoring of the disease and a close collaboration with a porphyria center are crucial.

Brain iron content in systemic iron overload: A beta-thalassemia quantitative MRI study

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Iron overload is a life-threatening condition in beta-thalassemia.

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Data on brain involvement in systemic iron overload are conflicting.

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MRI quantification of brain tissue iron content is feasible in a voxel-based approach.

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No iron tissue excess is evident in beta-thalassemia but in the choroid plexuses.

Objective

Multisystem iron poisoning is a major concern for long-term beta-thalassemia management. Quantitative MRI-based techniques routinely show iron overload in heart, liver, endocrine glands and kidneys. However, data on the brain are conflicting and monitoring of brain iron content is still matter of debate.

Methods

This 3T-MRI study applied a well validated high-resolution whole-brain quantitative MRI assessment of iron content on 47 transfusion-dependent (mean-age: 36.9 ± 10.3 years, 63% females), 23 non-transfusion dependent (mean-age: 29.2 ± 11.7 years, 56% females) and 57 healthy controls (mean-age: 33.9 ± 10.8 years, 65% females). Clinical data, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale scores and treatment regimens were recorded. Beside whole-brain R2* analyses, regional R2*-values were extracted in putamen, globus pallidum, caudate nucleus, thalamus and red nucleus; hippocampal volumes were also determined.

Results

Regional analyses yielded no significant differences between patients and controls, except in those treated with deferiprone that showed lower R2*-values (p<0.05). Whole-brain analyses of R2*-maps revealed strong age-R2* correlations (r²=0.51) in both groups and clusters of significantly increased R2*-values in beta-thalassemia patients in the hippocampal formations and around the Luschka foramina; transfusion treatment was associated with additional R2* increase in dorsal thalami. Hippocampal formation R2*-values did not correlate with hippocampal volume; hippocampal volume did not differ between patients and controls. All regions with increased R2*-values shared a strict anatomical contiguity with choroid plexuses suggesting a blooming effect as the likely cause of R2* increase, in agreement with the available histopathologic literature evidence.

Conclusion

According to our MRI findings and the available histopathologic literature evidence, concerns about neural tissue iron overload in beta-thalassemia appear to be unjustified.

Lifetime Transfusion Burden and Transfusion-Related Iron Overload in Adult Survivors of Solid Malignancies

BACKGROUND

Limited data exist on transfusion burden and transfusion-related iron overload in adult survivors of solid malignancies.

METHODS

Hospital-specific cancer registry data of patients with solid tumor receiving systemic anticancer treatment between January 2008 and September 2009 at the Oncology Department of the Leiden University Medical Center (The Netherlands) were retrieved and cross-referenced with red blood cell (RBC) transfusion records. Individual lifetime transfusion burden was captured in April 2015. Multitransfused long-term survivors with serum ferritin >500 μg/L were subsequently screened for hepatic and cardiac iron overload using 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging.

RESULTS

The study population consisted of 775 adult patients with solid cancer (45.2% male; median age, 58 years; >75% chemotherapy-treated), 423 (54.6%) of whom were transfused with a median of 6.0 RBC units (range 1-67). Transfusion triggers were symptomatic anemia or hemoglobin <8.1-8.9 g/dL prior to each myelosuppressive chemotherapy cycle. We identified 123 (15.9%) patients across all tumor types with a lifetime transfusion burden of ≥10 RBC units. In the absence of a hemovigilance program, none of these multitransfused patients was screened for iron overload despite a median survival of 4.6 years. In 2015 at disclosure of transfusion burden, 26 multitransfused patients were alive. Six (23.1%) had hepatic iron overload: 3.9-11.2 mg Fe/g dry weight. No cardiac iron depositions were found.

CONCLUSION

Patients with solid malignancies are at risk for multitransfusion and iron overload even when adhering to restrictive RBC transfusion policies. With improved long-term cancer survivorship, increased awareness of iatrogenic side effects of supportive therapy and development of evidence-based guidelines are essential.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

In the presence of a restrictive transfusion policy, ∼30% of transfused adult patients with solid cancer are multitransfused and ∼50% become long-term survivors, underscoring the need for evidence-based guidelines for the detection and management of transfusion-related iron overload in this group of patients. In each institution, a hemovigilance program should be implemented that captures the lifetime cumulative transfusion burden in all patients with cancer, irrespective of tumor type. This instrument will allow timely assessment and treatment of iron overload in cancer survivors, thus preventing organ dysfunction and decreased quality of life.

Serum Hepcidin Concentration in Individuals with Sickle Cell Anemia: Basis for the Dietary Recommendation of Iron

Dietary iron requirements in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) remain unclear. SCD is a neglected hemoglobinopathy characterized by intense erythropoietic activity and anemia. Hepcidin is the hormone mainly responsible for iron homeostasis and intestinal absorption. Intense erythropoietic activity and anemia may reduce hepcidin transcription. By contrast, iron overload and inflammation may induce it. Studies on SCD have not evaluated the role of hepcidin in the presence and absence of iron overload. We aimed to compare serum hepcidin concentrations among individuals with sickle cell anemia, with or without iron overload, and those without the disease. Markers of iron metabolism and erythropoietic activity such as hepcidin, ferritin, and growth differentiation factor 15 were evaluated. Three groups participated in the study: the control group, comprised of individuals without SCD (C); those with the disease but without iron overload (SCDw); and those with the disease and iron overload (SCDio). Results showed that hepcidin concentration was higher in the SCDio > C > SCDw group. These data suggest that the dietary iron intake of the SCDio group should not be reduced as higher hepcidin concentrations may reduce the intestinal absorption of iron.

Clinical characteristics and management of iron overload in 631 patients with chronic transfusion dependency: results from a multicentre, observational study

BACKGROUND

Long-term red blood cell transfusion therapy results in iron overload. Consensus documents have been developed for several transfusion-dependent groups of patients to provide clinicians with guidance on the monitoring and treatment of this transfusion complication. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics and current standard of care for patients with transfusion dependency in Spain.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This observational, multicentre study was conducted from November 2008 to December 2009 in 41 Spanish hospitals and day-care centres. Patients who received their first transfusion after January 2007, and who had received at least 10 units of packed red blood cells at the time of inclusion were eligible for the study.

RESULTS

We collected data from 631 patients with a mean age of 65±17 years. Haematological disease (84% of patients) was the most frequent underlying disorder. Patients had received a mean of 30±26 red blood cell units from diagnosis until inclusion in the study, and a mean of 18±18 red blood cell units in the previous year. Ferritin levels were available before and after starting the study for 116 (18%) and 412 (65%) patients, respectively. Mean ferritin level at study inclusion was 1,570 ng/mL, and 58% of patients had a ferritin level of at least 1,000 ng/mL. In spite of this, only 89 (14%) patients were receiving chelation therapy.

DISCUSSION

The management of patients with transfusion dependency could be improved by using ferritin levels to diagnose iron overload and guide the timely start of chelation therapy.