Study Background and Disease Burden
Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is a major public health burden worldwide, associated with high morbidity, mortality, and impaired quality of life. Anaemia commonly coexists in this population and is linked to worse clinical outcomes. Iron metabolism dysregulation, including disturbances in myocardial iron content (MIC), has been implicated in heart failure pathophysiology, affecting myocardial function and systemic oxygen delivery. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), originally used for glycemic control, have demonstrated cardiovascular benefits in heart failure, but their effects on iron homeostasis and the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
