The following is a summary of “Impact of ferric derisomaltose on cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular events in patients with anemia, iron deficiency and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction,” published in the November 2023 issue of Cardiology by Ray, et al.

In certain nations, intravenous (IV) ferric derisomaltose (FDI) is restricted to treating iron deficiency accompanied by anemia. Consequently, we examined the impact of intravenous FDI within a subset of anemic patients participating in the IRONMAN trial.

The IRONMAN trial enlisted individuals with heart failure, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤45%, and iron deficiency (ferritin <100 µg/L or TSAT <20%), of whom 771 (68%) presented with anemia (hemoglobin <12 g/dL for women; <13 g/dL for men). These patients underwent randomization in an open-label fashion to receive either FDI (n=397) or standard care (n=374) and were monitored for a median duration of 2.6 years. The primary endpoint, recurrent hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death, demonstrated a lower incidence in those allocated to FDI (rate ratio 0.78 [95% CI 0.61 – 1.01); p=0.063). A first-event analysis for cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure, less impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, yielded comparable results (hazard ratio 0.77 [95% CI 0.62 – 0.96]; p=0.022). Patients assigned to FDI reported enhanced quality of life in the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure assessment, statistically significant improvements in overall (p = 0.013) and physical-domain (p = 0.00093) scores at four months.

In individuals contending with iron deficiency anemia and heart failure characterized by reduced LVEF, intravenous FDI not only enhances quality of life but also exhibits potential for reducing cardiovascular events.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1071916423003834