Increased Hepatic Iron Content Predicts Poor Survival in Patients With Iron Overload Who Underwent Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

ABSTRACT

AIM: Iron overload results in increased infection, venous-oclusive disease and hepatic dysfunction in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (alloHSCT) recipients. Liver is one of the most common sites of iron overload. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 50 alloHSCT recipients that underwent liver biopsy in Erciyes Stem Cell Transplantation Hospital, Erciyes University, between 2004 and 2011 were enrolled in the study. The liver biopsy specimens have been obtained from the archives of Erciyes University, Department of Pathology and stainned for iron content. RESULTS: The mean age was found 34 ± 11 years. For median overall survival (OS); 53 months (min-max 41-65) in patients with grade 0, 55 months (min-max 47-64) in patients with grade 1, in patients with grade 2 patients 25.4 months (11.5-39.4 ), grade 3 patients 29.3 months (min-max 12.3-46.3) and grade 4 patients 2.6 months (min-max 2.0-3.3). Overall survival was correlated with the degree of liver iron content and it was statistically significant in Kaplan-Meier analysis (P < .001). Disease-free survival was found (DFS); grade 0 patients 47.1 months (min-max 32.0-62.0), grade 1 patients 36.9 months (min-max 21.0-65.0), grade 2 patients 23.5 months (min-max 12.0-59.0), grade 3 patients 27.4 months (min-max 5.3-59.3) and grade 4 patients 2.6 months (min-max 2.0-3.0). For DFS; it was negatively correlated with the degree of liver iron content nevertheless; it was not was statistically significant in Kaplan-Meier analysis (P = .093).Hepatic iron overload might be associated with poor survival in patients with transfusional iron overload that underwent alloHSCT. CONCLUSION: Hepatic iron content might be associated with poorer prognosis in patients with iron overload that underwent alloHSCT.