title: Safety, therapeutic effectiveness, and cost of parenteral iron therapy.
abstract: Patients have to discontinue the use of oral iron therapy due to the development of side effects and lack of long-term adherence to medication for iron deficiency anemia. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness, safety, and cost of intravenous iron sucrose therapy. The computerized database and medical records of 453 patients diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia who received intravenous iron sucrose therapy for iron deficiency anemia between 2004 and 2008 were reviewed. The improvement of hematologic parameters and cost of therapy were evaluated 4 weeks after therapy. 453 patients (443 females, 10 males; age: 44.2 +/- 12.3 years) received iron sucrose therapy. Mean hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular volume values were 8.2 +/- 1.4 g/dL, 26.9 +/- 3.8%, and 66.1 +/- 7.8 fL, respectively, before therapy and 11.5 +/- 1.0 g/dL, 35.8 +/- 2.5%, 76.5 +/- 6.1 fL, respectively, after therapy (P < 0.001). A mean ferritin level of 3.4 +/- 2.4 ng/mL before therapy increased to 65.9 +/- 40.6 ng/mL after therapy (P < 0.001). All patients responded to intravenous iron therapy (transferrin saturation values of the patients were >50%). The mean cost of therapy was 143.07 +/- 29.13 US dollars. The therapy was well tolerated. Although the cost of intravenous iron sucrose therapy may seem high, a lack of adherence to therapy and side effects including gastrointestinal irritation during oral iron therapy were not experienced during intravenous therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Baskent University Adana Research and Training Hospital, Adana, Turkey. asma_asma2000@yahoo.de.
authors.forename: Suheyl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asma
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Baskent University Adana Research and Training Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boga
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Baskent University Adana Research and Training Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozdogu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics*; D000077605:Ferric Oxide, Saccharated; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005937:Glucaric Acid; D006397:Hematinics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D006397:Hematinics; D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins; D000077605:Ferric Oxide, Saccharated; D005937:Glucaric Acid