Iron Repletion Increases Platelet Aggregation and Reduces Platelet Count in Iron Deficient Premenopausal Women
Authors: Elstrott Benjamin , Lakshmanan Hari H.S. , McMurry Hannah Stowe , West Malinda T , Olson Sven Reid , Deloughery Thomas G. , Aslan Joseph , Shatzel Joseph J 
Published: November 2021

Background: Iron deficiency, heavy menstrual bleeding, and anemia are interrelated conditions with high prevalence in women's health. Together, they impact an estimated 310 million premenopausal women worldwide. Iron deficiency has been associated with development of anemia as well as thrombocytosis. However, the effects of iron deficiency on platelet function remain unknown.

Objective: We set out to investigate the impact of IV iron repletion on platelet function, platelet count, and other blood cell indices in iron deficient premenopausal women.

Methods: We conducted a prospective single-center study of iron deficient premenopausal women who underwent iron repletion with a single dose of 1000 mg of low molecular weight iron. Pre-infusion and post-infusion blood samples were obtained for laboratory analysis. Standard of care monitoring of iron indices and complete blood counts were also included in the analysis. Pre-infusion rates of anemia and thrombocytosis were calculated using minimum hemoglobin and peak platelet count in the 6 months preceding iron infusion. Platelet function was quantified by Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) quantification of platelet activation marker antibodies for GPIIb/IIIa (PAC1) and P-selectin (CD62P) after exposure to multiple platelet agonists. Platelet aggregation was assessed by flow of anticoagulated whole blood at a shear rate of 300 s -1 for 5 minutes through chambers coated with type I collagen, imaged with differential interference contrast optics, and quantitatively represented through computation of percent total surface coverage. Pre-infusion and post-infusion cell indices and aggregation data were compared by paired samples t-test. All statistical analyses were performed in GraphPad Prism (Version 8.0.0).

Results: Thirteen patients were included in the analysis. Heavy menstrual bleeding was the suspected cause of iron deficiency in 83% of patients. Thrombocytosis was present in 15% of patients at pre-infusion and no patients at post-infusion. Average ferritin was 14 µg/L at pre-infusion and 126 µg/L at post-infusion. The peak platelet count within 6 months pre-infusion was 309 K/mm 3 (±89) vs. 274 (±64) K/mm 3 at post-infusion (p&lt;0.05). The average change to 6-month pre-infusion peak and post-infusion platelet count was -35.2 K/mm 3 (95%CI: -66.2, -5.23). The mean 6-month minimum hemoglobin was 11.9 (±1.9) g/dL vs. 13.3 (±1.1) g/dL at post-infusion (p&lt;0.005). Acquisition of FACS platelet reactivity data are ongoing, with preliminary results for the first 7 consecutively enrolled study patients displayed in Figure 1. Platelet aggregation measured at pre-infusion showed 14% surface coverage, with a significant increase to 29% at post-infusion (p &lt; 0.05). None of the 13 women experienced a thrombotic event during the study period.

Conclusion: Correction of iron deficiency results in decreased platelet count and improves platelet aggregation over collagen. Iron repletion may also improve platelet reactivity in response to physiologic agonists. These findings may suggest that iron deficiency impairs hemostasis and that correction of low iron may be even more critical for women with heavy menstrual bleeding.

Figure 1 Figure 1.

Disclosures

Shatzel: Aronora Inc,: Consultancy.