Scope: Iron deficit (ID) is a frequent comorbidity with prognostic relevance in patients with chronic heart failure (HF). The data regarding the real prevalence in acute HF and the variation of iron metabolism parameters during their course on follow-up remain scarce. Objectives: The evaluation of ID prevalence at discharge and 1month after discharge in patients hospitalized for a primary diagnosis of acute decompensated HF.

Methods: FERIC-RO registry (FiER deficit in Insuficienta Cardiaca in ROmania) is an observational study that consecutively enrolled patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of decompensated HF, no matter the left ventricular ejection fraction, in 9 academic hospitals. ID was defined as serum ferritin <100 μg/L or serum ferritin 100-299 μg/L if transferrin saturation <20% and was evaluated at discarge and 1 month after discharge. The concordance between ID diagnosis between the 2 moments was evaluated. Patients were split into 2 groups: patients discharged with and, respectively, without clinical signs of congestion.

Results: Mean age of the study cohort was 65+/-13 years; 55% were male. A proportion of 49% of the enrolled patients were diagnosed with ID with/without anemia at discharge. At 1-month interval, the proportion was 53%. The correlation coefficient was significant (r=0.89) in the group of patients without congestion; the coefficient was also significant (r=0.7) in the group of patients still congestive at discharge.

Conclusions: ID represents a frequent comorbidity among acute decompensated HF patients as well. The rates of ID diagnosis at discharge and 1 month, respectively, are very similar, with a good correlation coefficient. This suggests that the day of discharge may be a good timing for the evaluation and, if necessary, the initiation of intravenous iron treatment.