Iron deficiency is common in patients with heart failure and its diagnosis using serum ferritin and transferrin saturation is recommended.

The aim of this preliminary prospective study was to evaluate the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) with reduced Left-Ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), admitted in cardiac rehabilitation (CR), in Reunion Island.

Sixty-one HF patients with LVEF (<=40%) (58 years±13, women 41%) and 253 non HF cardiac patients, served as a control group (62 years±12, women 34%) was included. Ferritin, transferrin saturation (TSAT) and hemoglobin were accessed on admission. Iron deficiency was defined in accordance with the following criteria: serum ferritin<100μg/L; or serum ferritin 100–299μg/L plus TSAT<20%. Anemia was defined as more than 13 grams (g) of hemoglobin per deciliter (dL) of blood for men and 12g/dL for women. Reasons of admission for HF patients vs non HF cardiac patient were: coronary heart disease artery bypass graft surgery (23% vs. 33%), angioplasty percutaneous coronary interventions and stent (20% vs. 32%), angor pectoris or myocardial infarction (11% vs. 4%), aortic or mitral valve replacement or repair (12% vs. 21%), dilated cardiomyopathy (34% vs. 0%), other (0% vs. 10%).

Iron deficiency was founded in 52% in HF patients (with anemia in 38% among them), and in 53% in non HF cardiac patients (with anemia in 24% among them). See Table 1.

Iron deficiency is very common in cardiac patient admitted in Rehabilitation in Reunion Island, without difference between HF patients and non HF patients.