Demographic Characteristics in Patients with Heart Failure and Iron Deficiency

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is a major and prevalent comorbidity among heart failure (HF) patients. It is associated with poor exercise tolerance, recurrent hospitalization and higher mortality. Studying patients’ demographics helps to determine vulnerable groups to ID, risk factors and associated comorbidities to be considered during screening and management. Aim of the Work: To study the demographic characteristics of heart failure patients with iron deficiency. Patients and Methods: A cross sectional observational study was conducted at a tertiary care university hospital at Delta region of Egypt between year 2024 and 2026. Among 117 HF patients, 100 HF patients with ID were diagnosed clinically, by echocardiography and by laboratory investigations. Their demographics were studied to determine high risk groups for ID, risk factors, associated comorbidities and correlation with clinical, echocardiographic and laboratory parameters. Results: ID has a high prevalence among HF population. Risk factors include old age, female gender, rural residence, low income, low education level, poor intake of iron-rich food, chronic use of PPIs and antacids, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, chronic kidney disease, anemia and smoking. ID-HF patients have an advanced NYHA class and HF ACC-stage. Conclusion: Studying demographics of patients with HF and ID helps to identify vulnerable groups, risk factors and associated comorbidities. Targeting vulnerable groups helps to mitigate ID burden especially in low income communities.