Anemia and iron deficiency in heart failure: a review of echocardiographic features

Abstract

Anemia and iron deficiency are often associated with heart failure, influencing the symptoms and prognosis. Correction of anemia and iron deficiency improves functional capacity and decreases hospitalizations. Many studies have analyzed echocardiographic parameters in iron deficiency and anemia and their evolution after iron treatment; however, the heterogeneity of the results makes it difficult to draw conclusions. The aim of this paper is to review the echocardiographic parameters during anemia and iron deficiency, and their evolution after treatment. Available data suggest that they lead to ventricular and atrial remodeling, a decrease in ventricular contractility, and an alteration of ventricular relaxation, although in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction these changes are not significant. Anemia and iron deficiency also increase systolic pulmonary artery pressure. There is consistent evidence that correction of these comorbidities leads to a reduction in preload and left ventricular cavity dimensions, an improvement in diastolic and load‐independent ventricular systolic function parameters, and a decrease in systolic pulmonary artery pressure. However, the evidence is less consistent about the changes produced in ventricular hypertrophy, load‐dependent systolic function parameters, and E‐wave. Generally, anemia and iron deficiency affect the echocardiographic findings, and correcting these conditions often results in improvement in the affected echocardiographic parameters.