Management of transfusion-related iron overload in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

Anemia is a common symptom for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a spectrum of hematopoietic malignancies characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis; 90% of these patients will become transfusion dependent (TD). Because of the closed nature of iron metabolism, the repeated input of packed red blood cells during transfusions inevitably leads to iron overload. Iron overload can cause iron-related toxicity as well as end-organ damage from iron deposition in tissues.