Recent studies conducted among people suffering from iron deficiency were seen found at increased risk of stroke. This occurs due to stickiness in the small cells of blood or corpuscles. This was discovered by a team from Imperial College London. It has been shown in the past studies that deficiency of iron is seen in almost 2 billion people globally. These people are at high ischaemic risk. They can be adults as well as children. Every year, almost 15 million people suffer from stroke. When there is a blockage in the artery going to the brain, ischaemic stroke is caused. This is one of the commonest examples of stroke.
Research to establish linkage between iron deficiency and stroke
The team researching linkage between stroke risk and iron deficiency found that deficiency of iron may enhance stickiness platelets which are small blood cells. Platelets are responsible for initiating the process of blood clotting when they stick together. This connection between increased stroke risk and iron deficiency was discovered almost 4 decades ago, though it was not studied further.
Abnormalities leading to stroke
Researchers who carried out a new study in this field found that the participants in the study who were suffering from haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), which is a rare hereditary disease led to the enlargement of lung blood vessels. Blood vessels help in filtering blood and act as a filter keeping blood clots away but in the people suffering from this rare hereditary disease, the blood vessels were not able to function properly. As a result of this abnormality in blood vessels and as such filter gets bypassed and reaches brain which results in a stroke. It was also seen in the studies that people who had low level of iron were at an increased risk of stroke. When clotting of blood was stimulated, clumping in platelets became fast paced. A study was also conducted on patients who suffered from another abnormal condition and a malformation, pulmonary arteriovenous. These patients were at increased stroke even if they suffered from a moderate iron deficiency. The chances of such patients suffering from a stroke almost doubled in them.
Further analysis will be possible as the research going on at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London by Dr Claire Shovlin is indicating that there may be more factors involved in increased stroke risk. The research team is now trying to test whether chances of stroke in high risk patients can be reduced by treating low level of iron or iron deficiency problem in them. Before a stroke situation develops, there are several other factors that may lead to this situation. The team tried to reduce platelets sticking together at a fast pace. Thus, the link is being further analyzed and probed.
Latest study in this field clearly indicates that iron deficiency can result in high stroke risk. The study was conducted on 500 people. Thus, it is very important to address iron deficiency problem lest it results in a stroke.
