Ray, Robin, Ford, Ian, Cleland, John G.F., Graham, Fraser, Ahmed, Fozia Z., Al-Mohammad, Abdallah, Cowburn, Peter J., Critoph, Chris, Kalra, Philip A., Lane, Rebecca E., Ludman, Andrew, Pellicori, Pierpaolo, Petrie, Mark C., Robertson, Michelle, Seed, Alison, Squire, Iain, and Kalra, Paul R.
• This analysis reports the effects of intravenous ferric derisomaltose (FDI) in a population of patients with heart failure and iron deficiency anemia in the IRONMAN trial. • Intravenous FDI was well-tolerated and improved quality of life and may reduce morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure, anemia, and iron deficiency. • This will help shared decision-making in the management of patients with heart failure in countries where intravenous FDI is only licensed for the treatment of iron deficiency when accompanied by anemia. In some countries, intravenous ferric derisomaltose (FDI) is only licensed for treating iron deficiency with anemia. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of intravenous FDI in a subgroup of patients with anemia in the IRONMAN (Effectiveness of Intravenous (IV) Iron Treatment Versus Standard Care in Patients With Heart Failure and Iron Deficiency) trial. IRONMAN enrolled patients with heart failure, a left ventricular ejection fraction of ≤45%, and iron deficiency (ferritin <100 µg/L or transferrin saturation of <20%), 771 (68%) of whom had anemia (hemoglobin <12 g/dL for women and <13 g/dL for men). Patients were randomized, open label, to FDI (n = 397) or usual care (n = 374) and followed for a median of 2.6 years. The primary end point, recurrent hospitalization for heart failure and cardiovascular death, occurred less frequently for those assigned to FDI (rate ratio 0.78, 95% confidence interval 0.61–1.01; P =.063). First event analysis for cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure, less affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, gave similar results (hazard ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.62–0.96; P =.022). Patients randomized to FDI reported a better Minnesota Living with Heart Failure quality of life, for overall (P =.013) and physical domain (P =.00093) scores at 4 months. In patients with iron deficiency anemia and heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, intravenous FDI improves quality of life and may decrease cardiovascular events. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]