Prevalence, Factors Associated and Outcome of Anaemia with Hyperferritinemia among Hemodialysis Patients in Cameroon at the Douala General Hospital - Abstract
Background: Data on anemia with hyperferritinemia in hemodialysis patients are scarce in Sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to investigate the prevalence,
the associated factors and the outcome of anemia with hyperferritinemia in a hemodialysis patients at Douala General Hospital (DGH).
Methods: We conducted an analytical study at DGH among chronic hemodialysis patients from 1st January to 31st May 2023. Anemia was defined as
a hemoglobin level <12 g/dl in females and 13 g/dl in males, and hyperferritinemia as a serum ferritin>500 ng/ml. Patients were then followed for 1 year,
and death and major cardiovascular events were recorded. The data were analyzed via Excel 2019 and SPSS v20 software. Significant values were defined
by p<0.05.
Results: A total of 100 participants were included, and the average age was 45.9 years ± 14.89 years. The median vintage in hemodialysis was 4
[1.12–6.75] years, and the median number of blood bags transfused per month was 3 [2–4] bags. The median ferritin level was 573.85 [533.56–631.07]
ng/ml. The prevalence of anemia with hyperferritinemia (AH) was 60%. In the multivariate analysis, only the number of blood bags transfused <3bags
(OR=0.18[0.06–0.55]; p=0.003) was significantly associated with AH. The mortality rate combined with major cardiovascular events was greater in AH
patients than those without hyperferritinemia (36.7%, n=22; 12.5%, n=5; p=0.007).
Conclusion: Anemia with hyperferritinemia is common in chronic hemodialysis patients and is linked mainly to polytransfusion in our context. It also seems
to be associated to increase mortality and major cardiovascular events.