Transfusion Hemosiderosis

Transfusional hemosiderosis is the accumulation of iron in the liver and heart but also endocrine organs, in patients who receive or did receive frequent blood transfusions (such as those with thalassemia, sickle cell disease, leukemia, aplastic anemia or myelodysplastic syndrome).

Diagnosis

Blood transferrin test. Gold criteria is liver biopsy.

Treatment

Treatment is by phlebotomy, erythrocytapheresis or chelation therapy with iron chelating agents such as deferoxamine, deferiprone or deferasirox. If iron overload has caused end-organ damage, this is generally irreversible and may require transplantation.

Society

Ted DeVita died of transfusional iron overload from too many blood transfusions.

See also

• Hemosiderosis