The following is a summary of “Prevalence and severity of thrombocytopenia in patients with hyperferritinemia,” published in the March 2023 issue of Hematology by Yu, et al.

For a retrospective, double-center study, researchers sought to examine the prevalence and severity of thrombocytopenia in patients with hyperferritinemia, a condition often associated with the severity of underlying diseases such as tumors, inflammation, and blood disorders. Although no established correlation has been identified between hyperferritinemia and platelet count, they sought to investigate this relationship.

Between January 2019 and June 2021, 901 samples were collected from patients with significantly high ferritin levels (>2,000 μg/L). The study analyzed the incidence of thrombocytopenia in patients with hyperferritinemia, the general distribution of hyperferritinemia, and the relationship between ferritin level and platelet count. P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

The total incidence of thrombocytopenia in patients with hyperferritinemia was 64.7%. Hematological diseases were the most common cause of hyperferritinemia (43.1%), followed by solid tumors (29.5%) and infectious diseases (11.7%). Patients with thrombocytopenia (<150 × 10⁹/L) had significantly higher ferritin levels than those with normal platelet counts 150 × 10⁹/L, with median ferritin levels of 4,011 μg/L and 3,221 μg/L, respectively (P < 0.001). The study also found that the incidence of thrombocytopenia was higher in hematological patients who received chronic blood transfusions (93% vs. 69%).

In conclusion, the study suggested that hyperferritinemia is often associated with hematological diseases, and patients who undergo chronic blood transfusions may be more susceptible to thrombocytopenia. The study also found evidence of a relationship between elevated ferritin levels and thrombocytopenia, suggesting that ferritin levels may trigger thrombocytopenia development.

Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16078454.2023.2186047