Intravenous iron in inflammatory bowel disease

The prevalence of anemia across studies on patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is high (30%). Both iron defi ciency (ID) and anemia of chronic disease contribute most to the development of anemia in IBD. The prevalence of ID is even higher (45%). Anemia and ID negatively impact the patient's quality of life. Therefore, together with an adequate control of disease activity, iron replacement therapy should start as soon as anemia or ID is detected to attain a normal hemoglobin (Hb) and iron status. Many patients will respond to oral iron, but compliance may be poor, whereas intravenous (IV) compounds are safe, provide a faster Hb increase and iron store repletion, and presents a lower rate of treatment discontinuation. Absolute indications for IV iron treatment should include severe anemia, intolerance or inappropriate response to oral iron, severe intestinal disease activity, or use of an erythropoietic stimulating agent. Four different products are principally used in clinical practice, which differ in their pharmacokinetic properties and safety profi les: iron gluconate and iron sucrose (lower single doses), and iron dextran and ferric carboxymaltose (higher single doses). After the initial resolution of anemia and the repletion of iron stores, the patient's hematological and iron parameters should be carefully and periodically monitored, and maintenance iron treatment should be provided as required. New IV preparations that allow for giving 1000-1500 mg in a single session, thus facilitating patient management,provide an excellent tool to prevent or treat anemia and ID in this patient population, which in turn avoids allogeneic blood transfusion and improves their quality of life.

Intravenous iron supplementation may be superior to observation in acute isovolemic anemia after gastrectomy for cancer

AIM: To determine whether the application of post-operative intravenous (IV)-iron for acute isovolemic anemia after gastrectomy for cancer may be effective.

Parenteral iron therapy in children with iron deficiency anemia

Iron deficiency anemia(IDA)continues to be a global public health problem.Oral iron is the universally accepted first-line therapy,and most children have a prompt and favorable response to oral formulations.In subsets of children who fail to respond due to intolerance,poor adherence,or inadequate intestinal absorption,parenteral iron is indicated.Despite numerous studies in adults with IDA of diverse etiologies,pediatric studies on parenteral iron use are very limited.Although mostly retrospective and small,these studies have documented the efficacy and safety profile of intravenous iron formulations.In this editorial the author comments on the most important published data and underscores the need to seriously consider parenteral iron use in children unresponsive to oral therapy.

Inpatient management of iron deficiency anemia in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease: A single center experience

BACKGROUND Screening for iron deficiency anemia(IDA)is important in managing pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).Concerns related to adverse reactions may contribute to a reluctance to prescribe intravenous(IV)iron to treat IDA in this population.AIM To track the efficacy and safety of IV iron therapy in treating IDA in pediatric IBD patients admitted to our center.METHODS A longitudinal observational cohort study was performed on 236 consecutive pediatric patients admitted to our tertiary IBD care center between September 2017 and December 2019.92 patients met study criteria for IDA,of which 57 received IV iron,17 received oral iron,and 18 were discharged prior to receiving iron therapy.RESULTS Patients treated with IV iron during their hospitalization experienced a significant increase of 1.9(±0.2)g/dL in mean(±SE)hemoglobin(Hb)concentration by the first ambulatory follow-up,compared to patients who received oral iron 0.8(±0.3)g/dL or no iron 0.8(±0.3)g/dL(P=0.03).One out of 57(1.8%)patients that received IV iron therapy experienced an adverse reaction.CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate that treatment with IV iron therapy is safe and efficacious in improving Hb and iron levels in pediatric patients with IDA and active IBD.

A randomized,controlled,open label non-inferiority trial of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose versus iron sucrose in patients with iron deficiency anemia in China

Iron deficiency(ID)and ID anemia(IDA)pose significant public health concerns in China.Although iron sucrose(IS)treatment is well-established in the country,ferric carboxymaltose(FCM)offers the advantage of higher doses and fewer infusions.This open label,randomized,controlled,non-inferiority trial was conducted at multiple sites in China to compare the outcomes of FCM(maximum of 2 doses,500 or 1000 mg iron)and IS(up to 11 infusions,200 mg iron)treatments in subjects with IDA.The primary endpoint was the achievement of hemoglobin(Hb)response(an increase of⩾2 g/dL from baseline)within 8 weeks,whereas secondary endpoints included changes in Hb,transferrin saturation,and serum ferritin levels.Among the 371 randomized subjects,a similar percentage of subjects treated with FCM and IS achieved Hb-response(FCM 99.4%,IS 98.3%),thereby confirming the non-inferiority of FCM compared with IS(difference 1.12(−2.15,4.71;95%confidence interval(CI))).Furthermore,a significantly higher proportion of FCM-treated subjects achieved early Hb-response at Week 2(FCM 85.2%,IS 73.2%;difference 12.1(3.31,20.65;95%CI)).Additionally,the increase in TSAT and serum ferritin levels from baseline was significantly greater at all time points for FCM-treated subjects.The safety profiles of FCM and IS were comparable,with the exception of transient hypophosphatemia and pyrexia,which are consistent with FCM’s known safety profile.In conclusion,FCM proves to be an efficacious treatment for IDA,providing faster Hb-response and correction of ID with fewer administrations than IS.

Treatment of iron deficiency anemia associated with gastrointestinal tract diseases

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a common site of bleeding that may lead to iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Treatment of IDA depends on severity and acuity of patients’ signs and symptoms. While red blood cell transfusions may be required in hemodynamically unstable patients, transfusions should be avoided in chronically anemic patients due to their potential side effects and cost. Iron studies need to be performed after episodes of GI bleeding and stores need to be replenished before anemia develops. Oral iron preparations are efficacious but poorly tolerated due to non-absorbed iron-mediated GI side effects. However, oral iron dose may be reduced with no effect on its efficacy while decreasing side effects and patient discontinuation rates. Parenteral iron therapy replenishes iron stores quicker and is better tolerated than oral therapy. Serious hypersensitive reactions are very rare with new intravenous preparations. While data on worsening of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity by oral iron therapy are not conclusive, parenteral iron therapy still seems to be advantageous in the treatment of IDA in patients with IBD, because oral iron may not be sufficient to overcome the chronic blood loss and GI side effects of oral iron which may mimic IBD exacerbation. Finally, we believe the choice of oral vs parenteral iron therapy in patients with IBD should primarily depend on acuity and severity of patients’ signs and symptoms.

Perioperative anemia management in colorectal cancer patients:A pragmatic approach

Anemia,usually due to iron deficiency,is highly prevalent among patients with colorectal cancer.Inflammatory cytokines lead to iron restricted erythropoiesis further decreasing iron availability and impairing iron utilization.Preoperative anemia predicts for decreased survival.Allogeneic blood transfusion is widely used to correct anemia and is associated with poorer surgical outcomes,increased post-operative nosocomial infections,longer hospital stays,increased rates of cancer recurrence and perioperative venous thromboembolism.Infections are more likely to occur in those with low preoperative serum ferritin level compared to those with normal levels.A multidisciplinary,multimodal,individualized strategy,collectively termed Patient Blood Management,minimizes or eliminates allogeneic blood transfusion.This includes restrictive transfusion policy,thromboprophylaxis and anemia management to improve outcomes.Normalization of preoperative hemoglobin levels is a World Health Organization recommendation.Iron repletion should be routinely ordered when indicated.Oral iron is poorly tolerated with low adherence based on published evidence.Intravenous iron is safe and effective but is frequently avoided due to misinformation and misinterpretation concerning the incidence and clinical nature of minor infusion reactions.Serious adverse events with intravenous iron are extremely rare.Newer formulations allow complete replacement dosing in 15-60 min markedly facilitating care.Erythropoiesis stimulating agents may improve response rates.A multidisciplinary,multimodal,individualized strategy,collectively termed Patient Blood Management used to minimize or eliminate allogeneic blood transfusion is indicated to improve outcomes.