Understanding iron overload from blood transfusions, the risks and complicaitons.
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Toxic iron overload is an inevitable consequence of regular blood transfusion. Excess iron cannot be excreted by individuals living with sickle cell disease hence it is deposited in parenchymal tissues and toxicity results in organ damage.
Anyone who has received more than 10 transfusions is at risk for iron overload.
Every unit of blood contains about 200-250mg of iron. A single transfusion of two units would provide over 100 times what you would normally get from your diet in a day and is equivalent to 1-2 years’ worth of iron intake!
If you receive frequent blood transfusion, you should be discussing iron overload with your doctor
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