New onset iron deficiency anemia in chronic therapeutic plasma exchange patients

Iron deficiency has been recognized as a complication of whole blood and red blood cell apheresis donation; however, the effect of chronic therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) on patient iron status is largely unknown. We performed a retrospective review of all patients undergoing chronic TPE (at least 1 TPE every 2 weeks for 1 month with a minimum of 8 TPE treatments) with 5% albumin at our institution from 2011 to 2016. After review of serum iron level and iron saturation status, six out of ten (60%) of the patients who meet the study criteria were found to develop iron deficiency anemia (IDA).This data supports the notion that chronic TPE, especially when combined with additional risk factors, can increase the risk of IDA.