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Real‐life experience with liver iron concentration R 2 MRI measurement in patients with hemoglobinopathies: baseline data from LICNET
Author(s) -
Vitrano Angela,
Calvaruso Giuseppina,
Tesé Lorenzo,
Gioia Francesco,
Cassarà Filippo,
Campisi Saveria,
Butera Franco,
Commendatore Valeria,
Rizzo Michele,
Santoro Vincenzo,
Cigna Valeria,
Quota Alessandra,
Bagnato Sabrina,
Argento Crocetta,
Fidone Carmelo,
Schembari Dario,
Gerardi Calogera,
Barbiera Filippo,
Bellisssima Giuseppe,
Giugno Giovanni,
Polizzi Gesualdo,
Rosso Rosamaria,
Abbate Giovanna,
Caruso Vincenzo,
Chiodi Elisabetta,
Gamberini Maria Rita,
Giorgi Benedetta,
Putti Maria Caterina,
Filosa Aldo,
De Ritis Maria Rosaria,
Oliva Esther,
Arcadi Nicola,
Fustaneo Maria,
Mistretta Laura,
Di Maggio Rosario,
Sacco Massimiliano,
Veronica Di Salvo,
Giangreco Antonino,
Maggio Aurelio
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
european journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1600-0609
pISSN - 0902-4441
DOI - 10.1111/ejh.12740
Subject(s) - medicine , deferasirox , deferiprone , thalassemia , hemoglobinopathy , gastroenterology , ferritin , serum ferritin , magnetic resonance imaging , hemolytic anemia , radiology
Background Real‐life data on the use of R2 MRI for the assessment of liver iron concentration ( LIC ) remain limited. Methods We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis on 363 patients (mean age 35.6 yr, 44.1% men) with hemoglobinopathies (204 β ‐thalassemia major [ TM ], 102 β ‐thalassemia intermedia [ TI ], and 57 sickle cell disease [ SCD ]) that were evaluated with R2 MRI as part of LICNET , an MRI network of 13 Italian treatment centers. Results The mean LIC was 7.8 mg/g (median: 4.0), with high LIC (>7 mg/g) noted in both transfused ( TM , TI 37%; SCD 38%) and non‐transfused ( TI 20%) patients. Ferritin levels correlated with LIC in both transfused ( TM , TI , SCD ) and non‐transfused ( TI ) patients ( P < 0.001), although lower values predicted high LIC in non‐transfused patients (1900 vs. 650 ng/mL in TM vs. non‐transfused TI ). A correlation between LIC and ALT levels was only noted in HCV ‐negative patients (rs = 0.316, P < 0.001). The proportion of patients with high LIC was significantly different between iron chelators used ( P = 0.023), with the lowest proportion in deferasirox (30%) and highest in deferiprone (53%)‐treated patients. Conclusions High LIC values persist in subgroups of patients with hemoglobinopathy, warranting closer monitoring and management optimization, even for non‐transfused patients with relatively low ferritin levels.