ASH: Iron Overload Prevalent in Sickle Cell Disease

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Iron overload is prevalent among adults with sickle cell disease (SCD), according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology, held from Dec. 6 to 9 in Orlando, Florida.

Samuel R. Wilson, M.D., from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill, and colleagues examined the prevalence, screening, diagnosis, and management of iron overload in SCD using data from the ASH Research Collaborative Data Hub, a multi-institutional contemporary cohort of individuals living with SCD.

The researchers found that 10, 8.8, and 81 percent of the 3,723 confirmed individuals with SCD were classified as probable iron overload, possible, and unlikely, respectively. The highest prevalence of possible and probable (“credible”) iron overload was seen for individuals with HbSS genotype (11.7 and 14.5 percent, respectively). Site differences were seen in the prevalence of credible iron overload, varying from 7.9 to 29.7 percent. During the study period, higher mean emergency department and hospital admissions were seen for individuals with credible iron overload. Overall, 5.3, 2.4, and 1.0 percent of those in the probable, possible, and unlikely groups, respectively, were reported deceased. Magnetic resonance imaging was obtained in 27.8, 22.9, and 7.9 percent of the probable, possible, and unlikely groups, respectively, while chelation was prescribed in 43.9, 31.7, and 2.7 percent, respectively.

“The decision to get a blood transfusion can be very nuanced for individuals with sickle cell disease, and data like these can help empower these patients to decide whether it”s the right option for them,” Wilson said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

Abstract

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