European journal of heart failure
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Jul 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyThe effect of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose on red cell distribution width: a subanalysis of the FAIR-HF study.
Red cell distribution width (RDW), a measure of variability in red blood cell size, is a novel prognostic marker in chronic heart failure (CHF). Iron deficiency contributes to elevated RDW. In the FAIR-HF trial, i.v. ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) improved the 6 min walk test (6MWT) distance in iron-deficient CHF patients. We studied the effect of FCM on RDW and the relationship between RDW and 6MWT distance. ⋯ Iron deficiency in CHF is associated with high RDW, even after adjustment for the presence of anaemia. Treatment with i.v. FCM in iron-deficient CHF patients decreases RDW.