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Metabolism, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Considerations of Iron Overload, a Comprehensive Review

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Essentials of Blood Product Management in Anesthesia Practice

Abstract

Transfusion has many benefits in certain pathological states and can be lifesaving; however, it can also have unwanted effects. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of iron metabolism and overload related to blood transfusion. Iron chelation therapy remains the standard of care for managing transfusion-related iron overload. Clinical investigations into refining these therapies to make them more effective, convenient, and tolerable are ongoing. Research into developing agents to modify previously untargeted aspects of iron metabolism is also being evaluated. Evidence suggests that exogenous transferrin may help normalize NTBI levels and curb the toxic effects of iron overload. Targeting hepcidin to influence iron absorption and mobilization is also being studied. Further refinement of these treatments should provide useful adjuncts and alternatives to existing options.

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Garcia, A.J., Okeagu, C.N., Kaye, A.D., Abd-Elsayed, A. (2021). Metabolism, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Considerations of Iron Overload, a Comprehensive Review. In: Scher, C.S., Kaye, A.D., Liu, H., Perelman, S., Leavitt, S. (eds) Essentials of Blood Product Management in Anesthesia Practice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59295-0_28

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