Value of serum ferritin monitoring: beta-thalassemia major

  • Serum ferritin is a surrogate marker of LIC and iron-loading
  • Target for iron control
    • long term < 2,500 μg/L correlates with cardiac disease-free survival1-4
  • Ferritin threshold for cardiac DFS in older patients with acquired anemias is unknown but likely <2,500 due to age-related decrease in cardiac reserve
Chart - SF Monitoring - Follow-up vs. Survivability