Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33045993›Full record

ArticleBMC gastroenterology2020

Massive iron overload and acute-on-chronic liver failure in a patient with Diamond-Blackfan anaemia: a case report.

Guilherme Rossi Assis-Mendonça, Marlone Cunha-Silva, Mariana Franson Fernandes, Luiza Dias Torres, Monica Pinheiro de Almeida Verissimo, Marcelo Trevisan Neves Okano, Daniel Ferraz Mazo, Cristina Alba Lalli, Tiago Sevá-Pereira, Rafael Fantelli Stelini and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in BMC gastroenterology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 34% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Guilherme Rossi Assis-MendonçaDepartment of Pathology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, SP, 13.083-887, Brazil. guilhermeram13@yahoo.com.br.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7644-4159
Marlone Cunha-SilvaDivision of Gastroenterology (Gastrocentro), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
Mariana Franson FernandesDivision of Gastroenterology (Gastrocentro), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
Luiza Dias TorresDivision of Gastroenterology (Gastrocentro), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
Monica Pinheiro de Almeida VerissimoBoldrini Children's Center, Campinas, Brazil.
Marcelo Trevisan Neves OkanoDepartment of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
Daniel Ferraz MazoDivision of Gastroenterology (Gastrocentro), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
Cristina Alba LalliDepartment of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
Tiago Sevá-PereiraDivision of Gastroenterology (Gastrocentro), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
Rafael Fantelli SteliniDepartment of Pathology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, SP, 13.083-887, Brazil.
Larissa Bastos Eloy da CostaDepartment of Pathology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, SP, 13.083-887, Brazil.
Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) · BRCentro Infantil Boldrini · BR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGenetic anaemias lead us to reflect on the classic 'trolley dilemma', when there are two choices but neither one is satisfactory. Either we do not treat anaemia and the patient suffers from chronic tiredness and fatigue, or we do treat it through blood transfusions, leading to iron overload, which is a quite harmful consequence. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 34-year-old woman with Diamond-Blackfan anaemia (DBA). Bone marrow stem cell transplantation had not been accessible during her childhood, so she had been submitted to monthly blood transfusions throughout her life, leading to a hepatitis C virus infection (which was treated, achieving a sustained virological response when she was 18 years old), and secondary haemochromatosis. Despite chelation therapy, diffuse iron deposition was occurring in multiple organs, markedly in the heart and liver. Her serum ferritin was higher than 21,000 ng/mL and transferrin saturation reached 102%. When she faced heart decompensation, this congestive condition led to an acute liver injury overlapping pre-existing hepatic fibrosis. She progressed to haemodynamic and hepatic failure, with clinical features of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Despite therapeutic optimisation, she died of respiratory insufficiency. An autopsy was performed and revealed the macroscopic and microscopic findings of a massive iron deposition in the liver, heart, lungs, spleen, bone marrow, thyroid and adrenal glands. We found marked advance of liver fibrosis (chronic damage), as well as necrosis of hepatocytes in zone 3 of the Rappaport acinus (acute damage), supporting the hypothesis of ACLF. The main feature responsible for acute liver decompensation seemed to be heart insufficiency.

conclusionThis is the first case reporting the sequence: DBA, multiple blood transfusions, secondary haemochromatosis, advanced liver fibrosis, heart failure, ACLF and death. A multidisciplinary team is essential to care for DBA patients, since there is a significant emotional burden related to the disease, which might impair an effective chelation therapy and lead to severe consequences due to iron deposition.

Indexed as

Acute-On-Chronic Liver FailureAnemia, Diamond-BlackfanIron OverloadAdolescentAdultChildFemaleHumansLiverLiver CirrhosisAcute-on-chronic liver failureAutopsyDiamond–Blackfan anaemiaHaemochromatosisHeart failureLiver fibrosis

Identifiers

PMID33045993
PMCPMC7552380
OpenAlexW3092113166

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.