DocWire News Editors

DocwireNews

Undertreated iron overload in patients with sickle cell disease undergoing chronic transfusion therapy may be an underrecognized problem, according to a new study. Nearly one-half of patients with sickle cell disease in the multi-site GRNDaD registry who had iron overload were not on chelation.&ldquo;Since GRNDaD sites are academic centers across the country which focus on the management of sickle cell disease, we speculate that the problem of undertreated iron overload nationally is probably both widespread and underrecognized,&rdquo; Matthew Sears, PhD, of Sidney Kimmel Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and colleagues wrote in an abstract at the 60th Annual ASH Meeting and Exposition.Chronic transfusion therapy is a key part of the prophylactic management of adults and children with high-risk sickle cell disease for management of cerebral vasculopathy, significant end organ damage, or chronic pain. As each transfusion introduces about 250 mg of iron into the blood, monitoring for iron overload is important, and patients found to have overload should be put on iron chelation.In this study, Sears and colleagues looked at 402 adult patients from the GRNDaD registry, which accrues patients at five urban sickle cell centers. Of the included patients, 255 had phenotypic homozygous disease, 80 had variant sickle cell disease, and 17 had other or unknown genotypes. Iron accumulation was measured using ferritin levels.The majority of people (94%) with elevated ferritin had phenotypic sickle cell anemia. More than half of patients with sickle cell with a critically elevated ferritin level were on chronic transfusion therapy; 54% of patients with critically high levels were on chelation.Less than one in four patients had had a liver scan within 3 years (23%) and more than one in three patients with critical ferritin levels and no chelation therapy remained on transfusion therapy, the researchers wrote.&ldquo;We anticipate that, as GRNDaD continues to add additional sites, it will evolve as a robust young adult population with sickle cell disease,&rdquo; the researchers wrote. &ldquo;GRNDaD may be a model for identifying and addressing deficiencies in current clinical practices for management of sickle cell disease.&rdquo;Sears M, et al. Iron overload is under-recognized and under-treated in SCD: a report from the GRNDaD registry. Presented at 60th Annual ASH Meeting and Exposition; December 1-4, 2018; San Diego. Abstract #158.

Jeffrey Perl, MD

Joel M. Topf, MD, FACP

Thoughts From the 2025 Lazarus Award Winner

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings 2025

Brandon Twyford

DESTINY-Breast09 Demonstrates First-Line Superiority of Enhertu Plus Pertuzumab in HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

HER2 Breast Cancer

Trodelvy Plus Keytruda Significantly Improves Progression-Free Survival in PD-L1+ mTNBC, Phase III Data Show

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Latest News

Iron Overload Under Recognized in Sickle Cell Disease

ASH Annual Meeting 2018

Undertreated iron overload in patients with sickle cell disease undergoing chronic transfusion therapy may be an underrecognized problem, according to a new study. Nearly ...

About Us

Editorial Policy

Advertising

Contact Us

eNewsletters

Contribute

Career Center

MashupMD

Blood Cancers Today

Cancer Nursing Today

GU Oncology Now

Urban Health Today

Bile Duct Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Gastroesophageal Cancer

Gastric Cancer

GEP-NETs

GIST

Liver Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

GI Oncology Now

Anemia

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Essential Thrombocythemia

Hemophilia

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelofibrosis

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Polycythemia Vera

Pulmonary Embolism

Sickle Cell Disease

Thrombocytopenia

Thrombophilia

Thrombosis

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Venous Thromboembolism

von Willebrand Disease

Heme Today

Acute Kidney Injury

ADPKD

Anemia and Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease

COVID-19 and Kidney Disease

Diabetes and Hypertension

End-Stage Renal Disease

Gout

Hyperkalemia

IgAN

Kidney Transplantation

Metabolic Acidosis

Nephrology Times

HR Breast Cancer

Genetics & Breast Cancer

Breast Cancers Today

Atherosclerotic Disease

Atrial Fibrillation

Heart Failure

Hypertension

Interventional Cardiology

Lipid Management

Practice Tips With Dr. Lichaa

Preventive Cardiology

Stroke

Cardiology

Breast Cancer

Gynecologic Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer

Skin Cancer

Oncology

Sleep

Urology

Diabetes

Ophthalmology

— Demodex Blepharitis

Neurology

Rheumatology

Gastroenterology

Pulmonology

Infectious Diseases

— HIV

Health and Wellness

Lupus

Future of Medicine

Orthopedics

Pharmacology

Career News

More

Conferences

CardioNerds

The Sleep Source With Dr. Morse

Rheumatology Rounds With Dr. Maheswaranathan

Partners

Expert Interviews

Subscribe