Prevalence and management of iron overload in pyruvate kinase deficiency: report from the Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency Natural History Study

Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency is the most common red cell glycolytic enzyme defect causing hereditary non-spherocytic hemolytic anemia. Current treatments are mainly supportive and include red cell transfusions and splenectomy.11 Regular red cell transfusions are known to result in iron overload; however, the prevalence and spectrum of transfusion-independent iron overload in the overall PK deficient population has not been well defined. This analysis describes the prevalence and clinical characteristics of iron overload in patients enrolled in the PK Deficiency Natural History Study (NHS) with a focus on those patients who are not regularly transfused.