Treatment of a too high ferritin value | Ferritin value too high

Treatment of a too high ferritin value

The therapy of the increased ferritin value is initially carried out using so-called chelating agents. These are chemical complexes that are particularly suitable for binding iron. In this way, the elevated iron in the blood, which is usually associated with the increased ferritin value, can be bound.

The chelating agents such as deferoxamine can, after binding the iron, be processed via the kidneys and thus excreted in the urine or also via the bile acids. In addition, nutrition plays an important role in the therapy of elevated ferritin. Thus, the intake of too much iron through food should be prevented.

Affected persons should avoid foods such as legumes, nuts, oatmeal and green leafy vegetables (e.g. spinach). The intake of vitamin preparations or minerals through dietary supplements must also be closely monitored, as they often contain iron. Vitamin C preparations should be avoided completely, as this vitamin promotes the absorption of iron in the intestine.

In order to treat hemochromatosis, which is associated with a particularly high ferritin value, the method of bloodletting is used. This involves taking 500 ml of blood weekly until the ferritin value has fallen below 50 ng/ml. This is followed by a lifelong therapy with monthly to annual phlebotomies.

Prognosis

The prognosis for an increased ferritin level is very much dependent on the cause of the disease. For example, in iron storage diseases, if detected and treated early, consequential damage to organs can be avoided, so that the prognosis is extremely good. However, if the disease is not treated, the prognosis is very poor. Hemochromatosis also leads to a poor prognosis, particularly in the case of liver damage, as the risk of liver cell cancer is greatly increased. In this case, an early start of therapy cannot cure the disease, but it can prevent consequential damage.

Course of disease

The course of the disease with an elevated ferritin level is strongly dependent on the cause of the disease, as is the prognosis. In most cases, symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and poor performance occur first. Later on, stronger symptoms such as a dark discoloration of the skin occur.

In the course of time, the organs (especially the liver) are damaged without therapy. This organ damage leads to a liver dysfunction, which can become noticeable by ascites (water retention in the abdomen) and jaundice (yellowing of the skin). In the worst case, the liver is damaged to such an extent that life-threatening conditions can arise.

Some people may also develop liver cell cancer, which is also due to the damage to the liver cells. This is also life-threatening consequential damage. However, most of these organ damages can be avoided by an early adequate therapy of the high ferritin.