Organ iron

Organ iron can be measured by imaging such as T2^* MRI.
However, organ iron may not tell the whole story in MDS. For example, the leading cause of non-leukemic death in transfused MDS patients is cardiac¹, but cardiac iron deposition is detectable in only a minority of patients².
- Evidence from a mouse model suggests iron-induced oxidative stress contributes to coronary artery disease³.
See sections on oxidative stress and cytotoxicity for further discussion.

Cardiac events are the leading cause of non-leukemic death in MDS patients

Clinical complications from secondary IOL in MDS patients may include impaired hepatic & cardiac function & endocrine disease^4-13. Organ IOL should be addressed in MDS patients, particularly those with favourable risk MDS & a relatively long life expectancy.

ICT in MDS can successfully lower SF, LIC & cardiac iron, and may decrease organ events depending on degree of IOL, dosing & duration of ICT ^4-5,11,13-16.