BOFFINS at the University of Glasgow are investigating whether testing patients for iron deficiencies could make a difference to heart surgery recoveries.

The researchers are working to find out which is the best test for anaemia before undergoing heart surgery. It has been estimated that up to half of these recovering from heart surgery also have iron deficiency

This can lead to having to undergo increased blood transfusions, longer stays in intensive care as well as a slower recovery time.

The project is funded by a £300k grant from the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

The clinical trial will involve 500 people set to get heart surgery. They will receive blood tests to check for iron deficiency before the surgery, with a follow up to see if they needed more blood transfusions or a longer stay in intensive care.

READ MORE: Furious East Renfrewshire parents slam contents of free school meals parcel

Dr Pierpaolo Pellicori, the lead researcher on the project said: : “Iron deficiency affects many people who need heart surgery and it is reasonable to believe this might increase the need for blood transfusions and slow down recovery.

"This BHF-funded study will assess which pre-operative blood test is best for detecting iron deficiency and whether giving intravenous iron before surgery corrects the problem.

"This lays the foundation for a larger trial to find out who will benefit from getting a shot of iron before heart surgery.”

James Jopling, Head of BHF Scotland, said: “We’re proud to be funding this innovative research at the University of Glasgow, but we urgently need help from the public during 2021 to enable us to keep funding future medical breakthroughs like these.

“There are currently around 700,000 people in Scotland living with heart and circulatory conditions, and Covid-19 has put many of them at greater risk than ever.

"But the effect of the virus has also cut our ability to fund new research in half. This is the toughest challenge we’ve faced in our 60-year history and we need help now more than ever to beat heartbreak forever.”