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Transfusions without iron overload
Hi Neil,
I have never read an explanation to why some patients don't get iron overload though they have received more than 100 units of PRBC (packed red blood cells). One reason can be some kind of bleeding that not is detected. Another explanation could be that their liver is working very well. I received 40 units of blood before my ferritin level was more than 1000 and I had to start chelation.
Then we should be aware of that patients with higher-risk MDS often don't get chelation therapy. It is much more important for them to get drugs like Vidaza, that hopefully will help the bone marrow to function better, so the counts will increase and the blast cells will decrease.
We can have iron overload many years before the liver and the heart are damaged. My ferritin level has been 5600 without increased liver tests.
Kind regards
Birgitta-A
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