title: Clinical evaluation of iron treatment efficiency among non-anemic but iron-deficient female blood donors: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iron deficiency without anemia is related to adverse symptoms that can be relieved by supplementation. Since a blood donation can induce such an iron deficiency, we investigated the clinical impact of iron treatment after a blood donation.
  
  
  METHODS
  One week after donation, we randomly assigned 154 female donors with iron deficiency without anemia, aged below 50 years, to a four-week oral treatment of ferrous sulfate versus a placebo. The main outcome was the change in the level of fatigue before and after the intervention. Aerobic capacity, mood disorder, quality of life, compliance and adverse events were also evaluated. Hemoglobin and ferritin were used as biological markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The effect of the treatment from baseline to four weeks of iron treatment was an increase in hemoglobin and ferritin levels to 5.2 g/L (P < 0.01) and 14.8 ng/mL (P < 0.01), respectively. No significant clinical effect was observed for fatigue (-0.15 points, 95% confidence interval -0.9 points to 0.6 points, P = 0.697) or for other outcomes. Compliance and interruption for side effects was similar in both groups. Additionally, blood donation did not induce overt symptoms of fatigue in spite of the significant biological changes it produces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data are valuable as they enable us to conclude that donors with iron deficiency without anemia after a blood donation would not clinically benefit from iron supplementation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00981877.
authors.affiliation: Blood Transfusion Service of the Swiss Red Cross, Lausanne, Switzerland. sophie.waldvogel@mavietonsang.ch
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waldvogel
authors.forename: Baptiste
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pedrazzini
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vaucher
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bize
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cornuz
authors.forename: Jean-Daniel
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Tissot
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Favrat
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005221:Fatigue / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D006454:Hemoglobins; C020748:ferrous sulfate; D005293:Ferritins