Giving intravenous iron to patients with symptomatic heart failure is safe and cost effective

Link to article at PubMed

Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2021 May 2;82(5):1-5. doi: 10.12968/hmed.2021.0034. Epub 2021 May 26.

ABSTRACT

AIMS/BACKGROUND: Heart failure affects approximately 1 million people in the UK, adversely affecting quality of life, functional capacity and cognitive health. Iron deficiency complicates heart failure in approximately 50% of patients. Giving intravenous ferric carboxymaltose has been shown to improve quality of life in patients with heart failure (New York Heart Association class and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire).

METHODS: A quality improvement project was designed to assess the feasibility, safety and cost implications of establishing an intravenous iron service in the authors' centre.

RESULTS: Between July and December 2019 61 patients who were screened met the inclusion criteria and were administered intravenous ferric carboxymaltose. There were statistically significant improvements in ferritin levels (83.3 ug/litre to 433 ug/litre; P<0.0001), transferrin saturation (18% to 30% P<0.0001) and haemoglobin levels (126 g/litre to 135 g/litre; P<0.01). No demonstrable changes in New York Heart Association class or quality of life scores were noted. The overall financial impact for the trust was income generation of £14 665, a net income of £240 per patient.

CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous iron replacement with ferric carboxymaltose is safe and cost effective, and should be considered in eligible iron-deficient patients with symptomatic heart failure. Integration with another day case intravenous service represented the most logistically simple and economically viable method of service delivery.

PMID:34076520 | DOI:10.12968/hmed.2021.0034

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