Repletion of Iron Stores With the Use of Oral Iron Supplementation in Patients With Systolic Heart Failure

Abstract Background Iron deficiency is associated with reduced functional capacity and increased mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Correction of iron deficiency in HFrEF patients with the use of intravenous iron improves symptoms, quality of life, and exercise performance. Whether oral iron improves iron stores in HFrEF patients is unknown. We conducted a retrospective study to assess the efficacy of oral iron supplementation in iron-deficient HFrEF patients. Methods and Results Iron-deficient HFrEF patients with a record of oral iron supplementation and iron studies before and ∼180 days after supplementation were identified. Iron deficiency was defined as ferritin P P  = .0007) at 164 days after initiation of oral iron supplementation. Conclusions In this retrospective study, oral iron supplementation improved iron stores similarly to previously reported results with the use of intravenous iron repletion in HFrEF patients, suggesting that oral iron merits prospective evaluation as an intervention strategy in HFrEF.