Observational Monitoring of Patients with Aplastic Anemia and Low/Intermediate-1 Risk of Myelodysplastic Syndromes Complicated with Iron Overload

Abstract

Background: This study focuses on the iron overload (IOL) of patients with transfused aplastic anemia (AA) or a low/intermediate-1 risk of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Methods: Ninety-two AA or MDS patients with IOL were prospectively recruited. Clinical data were collected every 6 months, and organ magnetic resonance imaging T2* values were collected annually. Patients with IOL were chelated. Results: Serum ferritin was correlated with liver T2* and pancreatic T2* in the AA and MDS groups. Transfusion amounts were correlated with serum ferritin values, liver T2*, and pancreatic T2* in the AA group. At the 6-month and 1-year evaluations, patients with sufficient chelation experienced significant decreases in serum ferritin, and those with decreased serum ferritin experienced an obvious increase in hemoglobin. At their 1-year-follow-up, patients with adequate chelation showed significant increases in hepatic T2*, cardiac T2*, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Patients with decreased serum ferritin (including those without chelation) experienced an increase in hemoglobin, hepatic T2*, cardiac T2*, and LVEF. Conclusion: The transfusion amount was more reliable at predicting IOL in patients with AA than in those with MDS. Adequate iron chelation can decrease serum ferritin levels and may improve hepatic T2*, cardiac T2*, and LVEF levels. A decrease in serum ferritin, even in the absence of chelation, may also benefit patients.