Evidence mapPaperPMID 39185895Full record

Trial reportEuropean heart journal2024

Ferric carboxymaltose and exercise capacity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and iron deficiency: the FAIR-HFpEF trial.

Stephan von Haehling, Wolfram Doehner, Ruben Evertz, Tania Garfias-Veitl, Carlotta Derad, Monika Diek, Mahir Karakas, Ralf Birkemeyer, Gerasimos Fillippatos, Mitja Lainscak and 5 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled TrialMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in European heart journal, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07053475 (IRONICA), which is not on this map. Cited by 23 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
23citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
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.

NCT07053475 phase4terminatednot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

IRONICA: IRON Repletion in Congestive Heart Failure - A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Oral Versus IV Approaches

TypeinterventionalSponsorSyed Hamza MufarrihRan2025 to 2026Enrolled42ConditionsHeart Failure, Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (HFrEF), Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFPEF), Iron DeficiencyArmsFerric Carboxymaltose, Ferrous Sulfate
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

23 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Update on clinical heart failure trials.Clinical research in cardiology : official journal of the German Cardiac Society · 2026
    Review
  2. KDIGO 2026 Clinical Practice Guideline for Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): a commentary from the European Renal Best Practice (ERBP).Nephrology, dialysis, transplantation : official publication of the European Dialysis and Transplant Association - European Renal Association · 2026
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
  8. Heart failure evidence update 2026.Heart failure reviews · 2026
    Review
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Iron Deficiency in Heart Failure: Cellular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications.Journal of cardiovascular development and disease · 2025
    Review
  15. Article
  16. Intravenous iron in heart failure: still no prognostic impact, but questions remain.International journal of cardiology. Heart & vasculature · 2025
    Article
  17. Review
  18. Review
  19. Article
  20. 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

15 authors.

Stephan von HaehlingDepartment of Cardiology and Pneumology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Georg- August University, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, D-37075, Goettingen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-9818-042X
Wolfram DoehnerBerlin Institute of Health-Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité- Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353, Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-7598-708X
Ruben EvertzDepartment of Cardiology and Pneumology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Georg- August University, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, D-37075, Goettingen, Germany.
Tania Garfias-VeitlDepartment of Cardiology and Pneumology, University Medical Center Goettingen, Georg- August University, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, D-37075, Goettingen, Germany.
Carlotta DeradDZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner site Lower Saxony, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, D-37075, Goettingen, Germany.
Monika DiekDeutsches Herzzentrum der Charité, Department of Cardiology (Campus Virchow), German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) Partner site Berlin, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353, Berlin, Germany.
Mahir KarakasDepartment of Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
Ralf BirkemeyerHerzklinik Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Gerasimos FillippatosDepartment of Cardiology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Mitja LainscakDivision of Cardiology, General Hospital Murska Sobota, 9000 Murska Sobota, Slovenia.ORCID 0000-0002-5922-4098
Javed ButlerDepartment of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7683-4720
Piotr PonikowskiCenter for Heart Diseases, University Hospital, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
Michael BöhmDepartment of Internal Medicine Clinic III, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
Tim FriedeDZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner site Lower Saxony, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, D-37075, Goettingen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-5347-7441
Stefan D AnkerBerlin Institute of Health-Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité- Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353, Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-0805-8683

Funding

Vifor Pharma
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsEvidence is lacking that correcting iron deficiency (ID) has clinically important benefits for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

methodsFAIR-HFpEF was a multicentre, randomized, double-blind trial designed to compare intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) with placebo (saline) in 200 patients with symptomatic HFpEF and ID (serum ferritin < 100 ng/mL or ferritin 100-299 ng/mL with transferrin saturation < 20%). The primary endpoint was change in 6-min walking test distance (6MWTD) from baseline to week 24. Secondary endpoints included changes in New York Heart Association class, patient global assessment, and health-related quality of life (QoL).

resultsThe trial was stopped because of slow recruitment after 39 patients had been included (median age 80 years, 62% women). The change in 6MWTD from baseline to week 24 was greater for those assigned to FCM compared to placebo [least square mean difference 49 m, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5-93; P = .029]. Changes in secondary endpoints were not significantly different between groups. The total number of adverse events (76 vs. 114) and serious adverse events (5 vs. 19; rate ratio 0.27, 95% CI 0.07-0.96; P = .043) was lower with FCM than placebo.

conclusionsIn patients with HFpEF and markers of ID, intravenous FCM improved 6MWTD and was associated with fewer serious adverse events. However, the trial lacked sufficient power to identify or refute effects on symptoms or QoL. The potential benefits of intravenous iron in HFpEF with ID should be investigated further in a larger cohort.

Indexed as

Anemia, Iron-DeficiencyExercise ToleranceFerric CompoundsHeart FailureMaltoseStroke VolumeWalk TestAgedAged, 80 and overDouble-Blind MethodFemaleFerritinsHematinicsHumansMaleQuality of Lifeferric carboxymaltoseFerric CompoundsFerritinsHematinicsMaltoseExercise capacityHeart failureIron deficiencyPreserved ejection fraction

Identifiers

PMID39185895
PMCPMC11452748

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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 Socratic graph.