title: [Use of intravenous iron infusion in a gastroenterology day hospital: Indications, dosage and adverse effects].
abstract: There are no data in the literature on the use of intravenous iron infusion in gastroenterology day hospitals.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the indications, dosage and tolerance of intravenous iron infusion in outpatients attending a gastroenterology day hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who received intravenous iron infusion between August 2007 and July 2008. The indications, dosage, transfusion requirements, adverse effects and patients' clinical and laboratory data were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 111 patients (41% women, with a mean age of 63.8 ± 18 years) received intravenous iron infusions. The main causes of anemia indicating iron administration were portal hypertensive gastropathy (n=55), inflammatory bowel disease (n=22) and intestinal angiodysplasia (n=12). The patients received a total of 557 iron infusions with a mean dose of 1033 mg iron per patient. There were no adverse effects. Despite the treatment, 46 patients required transfusion. Iron and transfusion requirements and mortality were significantly higher in patients with liver cirrhosis than in the remainder of the study group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravenous iron therapy is frequently used in the gastroenterology day hospital. Most infusions were administered in patients with chronic iron loss. Patients with liver cirrhosis had the most severe anemia and underlying disease and the highest mortality.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Sabadell, Institut Universitari Parc Taulí, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Sabadell, España.
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dosal
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Calvet
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Ariadna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figuerola
authors.forename: Miquel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ruíz
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.forename: Emili
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gené
authors.forename: Mireia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miquel
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villoria
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D005260:Female; D005762:Gastroenterology; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007501:Iron