Types of Anemias and Iron Deficiency Frequency in Hospitalized Patients with Decompensated Heart Failure: Internal Medicine Clinic Experience

INTRODUCTION: One of the most common comorbid conditions in heart failure is iron deficiency and anemia. Because the patients are mostly elderly and have comorbidities, many examinations cannot be performed for the etiology of anemia, and it is accepted as chronic disease anemia caused by chronic diseases. However, iron deficiency can occur frequently in these patients with or without anemia. We conducted this study to investigate this frequency in heart failure patients hospitalized in the internal medicine service.
METHODS: This retrospective study comprised one hundred patients with decompensated heart failure (72.2±10.4 years; F/M: 41/59). Measurements of serum iron, ferritin, folic acid, vitamin B12, lactate dehydrogenase, bilirubin, reticulocyte, hemogram parameters, creatinine, ejection fraction, and cardiothoracic index of these patients were recorded from patients' files. The ESC 2016 guideline was used for the diagnosis of heart failure and diagnosis of iron deficiency in patients with heart failure.
RESULTS: A total of 26 patients were NYHA III (26%), 74 patients were NYHA IV (74%), 16 patients were stage C (16%), and 84 patients were stage D (84%). Anemia was detected in 62 patients (62%), iron deficiency anemia in 45 patients (45%), and anemia of chronic disease in 56 patients (56%). Iron deficiency was present in 70% of all patients. Iron deficiency was found to be statistically significant in patients with coronary artery bypass graft (p<0.05).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Considering that the functional capacities and quality of life of patients with intravenous iron therapy increase in patients with chronic heart failure, we suggest that more attention should be paid to the investigation and treatment of the etiology of anemia in this patient group.