Beat Schaub, Frédéric Von Orelli and Claude Rothen
Aim: Progress documentation of the intravenous substitution in women with symptomatic iron deficiency with and without anaemia: Changes in symptoms and ferritin and haemoglobin levels, adverse drug reactions.
Design: A multicentre observational study using two different preparations (iron sucrose versus ferric carboxymaltose).
Study centres: 27 medical practices in Switzerland.
Participants: 2288 patients gave individually-dosed intravenous iron doses, 82% of them of menstrual age.
Examined parameters: Change in symptoms and laboratory values 2-3 weeks following intravenous iron treatment and three months later.
Results: All participants completed the treatment. In 82% of the patients the initial ferritin level was <50 ng/ml and in 18%, it was between 51-75 ng/ml (average value 31 ng/ml). Anaemia was present in 13% of those affected. 65% of the participants felt symptom-free or significantly better, following treatment with an average ferritin level of 217 ng/ml, 20% benefited slightly and 15% did not feel any effects. After a follow-up assessment of a part of the patients three months later, the success rate was practically unchanged, although the ferritin level in women of menstrual age had retreated to 142 ng/ml. The side effect rate was 2.1%.
Conclusion: Patients with symptoms, such as e.g. states of exhaustion, concentration disorders, depressive moods, insomnia, dizziness or headaches and a ferritin level below 75 ng/ml benefit the most from individually-dosed intravenous iron doses.
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