Comparative study of efficacy and safety of parenteral iron sucrose versus ferric carboxymaltose in treatment of postpartum iron deficiency anaemia

Background: Postpartum anaemia often leads to multiple clinical complications in mother as well as infant and iron supplementation with parenteral iron is the preferred treatment modality. The present study was planned to compare the efficacy and tolerability of IV iron sucrose and IV ferric carboxymaltose in treatment of postpartum iron deficiency anaemia.Methods: This randomized, parallel, open label, prospective 4-weeks study was conducted from June 2019 to December 2020 in women with postpartum anaemia admitted to obstetrics and gynaecology inpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. Women with postpartum iron deficiency anaemia (N=60) were randomly divided into two groups; receiving Injection iron sucrose (N=30, maximum dose 500 mg) or Injection ferric carboxymaltose (N=30, maximum dose 500 mg). Change in haemoglobin and serum ferritin levels from baseline to the end of 2 and 4 weeks of treatment were evaluated.Results: The results showed early, sustained and significant increase in the haemoglobin levels in both the groups. However, the difference was not significant between groups (p=0.2). Evaluation of replenishment of iron stores (serum ferritin) showed improvement in both the groups, however in FCM group the rise was found to be significant (p<0.05).Conclusions: FCM in a lower dose of 500mg was found to be safe and effective in significantly improving haemoglobin concentration as well as in replenishing iron stores in patients with postpartum anaemia.

Management of Severe Iron Deficiency Anemia in the Pediatric Emergency Department: A Comparison of IV Iron Vs Transfusions

Introduction: Severe iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a problem that often presents to the pediatric emergency department (ED). Recently published ASH-ASPHO Choosing Wisely recommendations suggest avoidance of transfusion in hemodynamically stable, asymptomatic children with IDA 1. Little is known about the use of parenteral iron in this pediatric setting. Methods: We undertook a retrospective review of patients with severe IDA treated in the pediatric ED at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) from September 2017 to June 2021. During this period there were an estimated 75000 patients seen annually. Patients with severe IDA were defined as those presenting with hemoglobin (Hb) less than &lt;70 g/L and low mean corpuscular volume. Results: There were 56 patients that met this criterion with presenting Hb ranging from 17-69 g/L (IQR 41- 62). Median age at presentation was 3.75 yrs (IQR 1.68- 15.5), with a bimodal peak at age 1 yr and again in the teen years (Fig 1). 42 (75%) patients were female. The most common causes of IDA were nutritional and heavy menstrual bleeding. 14 (24.6%) received packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion with or without parenteral iron (iron sucrose), and 11 (19.3%) were treated with parenteral iron alone. Almost all (55, 98.2%) were prescribed oral iron supplementation. The lower the presenting Hb, the more likely that transfusion or parenteral iron was used as initial therapy (Fig 2). 19 (33.9%) patients were admitted to hospital and 37 (66.1%) were discharged home from the ED. Nine recipients of parenteral iron alone had follow-up at CHEO, six had follow-up within 10 days with Hb increases of at least 20 g/L and all nine patients had follow-up by day 41 showing increases ranging from 20-97 g/L. Three recipients of parenteral iron alone had presenting Hb &lt;30 g/L and by 9 days following ED encounter all three had increased their Hb by at least 20 (20-32) g/L. Three patients were discharged from ED after IV iron, and none presented to the ED again. Six recipients of PRBCs had follow up within 10 days showing Hb increase ranging from 33-62 g/L, only five had follow-up by day 41 showing increases of 42-79 g/L. Five patients received &gt;1 transfusion, and transfused volumes ranged from 5-25 mL/kg. Minor infusion reactions occurred in 2 (17%) recipients of parenteral iron, and no patient was suspected to have anaphylaxis. Four (28.5%) patients experienced minor transfusion reactions to packed cells. One recipient of multiple PRBC transfusions had transfusion-associated cardiac overload (TACO) requiring ICU admission. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that patients with severe IDA can be safely and effectively managed in the ED setting with parenteral iron therapy alone without PRBC transfusion. The use of parenteral iron avoids the potential short and long-term complications associated with transfusion, whilst ensuring rapid restoration of iron stores without the tolerability issues associated with oral iron. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. OffLabel Disclosure: IV iron sucrose is indicated for treatment of iron deficiency in patients 2 and older with CKD. The use of it outside of this context would be considered off label.

Role of ferric carboxymaltose in the treatment of postpartum anemia in a tertiary care hospital in Andhra Pradesh

Background: Postpartum iron deficiency anemia is common in India as a consequence of postpartum hemorrhage. Recent studies have evaluated the use of parenteral iron as a better tolerated treatment modality. Compared with oral iron supplements, parenteral iron is associated with a rapid rise in serum ferritin and hemoglobin and improved maternal fatigue scores in the postpartum period. Parenteral iron may be considered for the treatment of postpartum anemia. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose, in women with postpartum anemia.Methods: A clinical observational study was undertaken in a tertiary care hospital, 50 women within six weeks of delivery with Hb ≥6 gm/dl and ≤10 gm/dl received 1000 mg/week, over 15 minutes or less, repeated weekly to a calculated replacement dose (maximum 2500 mg) . Hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels were recorded prior to treatment and on day 21 after completion of treatment.Results: Ferric carboxymaltose-treated subjects achieved a hemoglobin greater than 12 gm/dL in a short time period (21 days), achieve a hemoglobin rise of ≥3 gm/dL more quickly, and attain higher serum ferritin levels. It is also associated with better patient compliance, and shorter treatment period. Drug-related adverse events occurred less frequently with ferric carboxymaltose. The only noted disadvantage was that it is more expensive when compared to other iron preperations.Conclusions: Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose was safe and well tolerated with good efficacy and better patient compliance in the treatment of postpartum iron deficiency anemia.

Unexpected cause of dyspnoea in a patient with allergic rhinitis

A defect in one part of the immune system may affect the whole system. As a result, there may be a myriad of immunological diseases, which are often masked with the one disease that has the most prominent symptoms. This case report presents a patient with long-lasting allergic rhinitis who recently developed dyspnoea in exertion with suspected asthma development. After extensive diagnostic processing, asthma was dismissed, and diagnosis of selective IgA deficiency and coeliac disease with consequential iron deficiency anaemia was established. The patient was treated with parenteral iron and a gluten-free diet, which corrected her anaemia and led to the disappearance of dyspnoea. This paper aims to show the interplay between different immunological disorders and the possible causal connection between them.

Protocol for the cost-effectiveness of parenteral iron and oral iron therapy for first-line management of anaemia among pregnant women in a natural programme setting in Gujarat

IntroductionMaternal anaemia is a major public health issue in India. The government of India recommends parenteral iron to manage moderate and severe grades of anaemia. In contrast to its clinical efficacy, the cost-effectiveness of intravenous iron sucrose and ferric carboxymaltose is not yet established in Indian context. This article illustrates the protocol of health technology assessment to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of intravenous therapy on the improvement of haemoglobin concentration over oral therapy.Methods and analysisThe study will be carried out in two districts of Gujarat state. The study participants will be selected by a proportionate sampling method from the rural, tribal, desert and coastal region of the districts. Data will be collected over 1 year on key outcome indicators using a mixed-method approach. Key informant interviews will be conducted, and cost data will be gathered to perform cost-effectiveness analysis.Ethics and disseminationThis study is approved by the Technical Appraisal Committee of Health Technology Assessment India, Department of Health Research and Institutional Ethics Committee of the Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar.

The hypoferremic response to acute inflammation is maintained in thalassemia mice even under parenteral iron loading

Background Hepcidin controls iron homeostasis by inducing the degradation of the iron efflux protein, ferroportin (FPN1), and subsequently reducing serum iron levels. Hepcidin expression is influenced by multiple factors, including iron stores, ineffective erythropoiesis, and inflammation. However, the interactions between these factors under thalassemic condition remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the hypoferremic and transcriptional responses of iron homeostasis to acute inflammatory induction by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in thalassemic (Hbbth3/+) mice with/without parenteral iron loading with iron dextran. Methods Wild type and Hbbth3/+ mice were intramuscularly injected with 5 mg of iron dextran once daily for two consecutive days. After a 2-week equilibration, acute inflammation was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of 1 µg/g body weight of LPS. Control groups for both iron loading and acute inflammation received equal volume(s) of saline solution. Blood and tissue samples were collected at 6 hours after LPS (or saline) injection. Iron parameters and mRNA expression of hepcidin as well as genes involved in iron transport and metabolism in wild type and Hbbth3/+ mice were analyzed and compared by Kruskal–Wallis test with pairwise Mann–Whitney U test. Results We found the inductive effects of LPS on liver IL-6 mRNA expression to be more pronounced under parenteral iron loading. Upon LPS administration, splenic erythroferrone (ERFE) mRNA levels were reduced only in iron-treated mice, whereas, liver bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP6) mRNA levels were decreased under both control and parenteral iron loading conditions. Despite the altered expression of the aforementioned hepcidin regulators, the stimulatory effect of LPS on hepcidin mRNA expression was blunt in iron-treated Hbbth3/+ mice. Contrary to the blunted hepcidin response, LPS treatment suppressed FPN1 mRNA expression in the liver, spleen, and duodenum, as well as reduced serum iron levels of Hbbth3/+ mice with parenteral iron loading. Conclusion Our study suggests that a hypoferremic response to LPS-induced acute inflammation is maintained in thalassemic mice with parenteral iron loading in a hepcidin-independent manner.

IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA IN ELDERLY AND SENILE PATIENTS

Анемический синдром выявляется у /популяции, в том числе железодефицитная анемия - у 1,5 млрд человек. Гериатрические пациенты являются одной из основных групп риска развития анемии. Дефицит железа и железодефицитная анемия приводят к снижению качества жизни, повышению заболеваемости и летальности, что обусловливает необходимость своевременной диагностики и лечения. Диагностический алгоритм включает анализ параметров феррокинетики, маркеров воспаления и инструментальные исследования для верификации причины анемии. Для лечения используют современные препараты железа для приема внутрь и парентерального введения под контролем показателей крови и феррокинетики. Anemic syndrome is common in / of the population, including iron deficiency anemia - in 1,5 billion people. Geriatric patients are one of the main risk group for anemia. Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia lead to a decrease in quality of life, an increase in morbidity and mortality, what requires timely diagnosis and treatment. The diagnostic algorithm includes the analysis of iron metabolism, inflammation markers and instrumental tests to verify the cause of anemia. Modern oral and parenteral iron preparations are used for treatment under control of blood indexes and iron metabolism parameters.