Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and Iron Administration in Left Ventricular Assist Device and Heart Transplantation Patients.

Iron deficiency (ID) is a common comorbidity in heart failure (HF). In these patients, intravenous iron administration can improve clinical outcomes and quality of life (QoL). However, data on ID are lacking in patients who have transitioned toward left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or heart transplantation (HTx). All patients who underwent LVAD (n = 84) surgery or HTx (n = 67) at our center between 2012 and 2019, aged ≥18 years with a follow-up of ≥3 months, were included. Retrospectively, the prevalence of ID up to 1 year preoperatively, and up to February 2020 postoperatively, as well as all iron administrations were assessed during this period. Iron status was assessed in 61% and 51% of the LVAD and HTx patients preoperatively, and 81% and 84%, respectively, postoperatively. Of these patients, 53% and 71% of the LVAD and HTx patients preoperatively were diagnosed with ID preoperatively, and 71% and 77%, respectively, postoperatively. ID was more frequently diagnosed >3 months postoperatively. Sixty-three percent of the LVAD (mostly intravenous) and 63% of the HTx patients (mostly oral) received iron administration. ID is highly prevalent pre- and post-LVAD and HTx. It is plausible that substitution can have similar QoL gains as in regular HF patients.