title: Efficacy and safety of intravenous iron sucrose in treating adults with iron deficiency anemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Iron deficiency is the most common disorder in the world, affecting approximately 25% of the world`s population and the most common cause of anemia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous iron sucrose (IS) in the treatment of adults with iron deficiency anemia
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-six adult patients with iron deficiency anemia, who had intolerance or showed no effect with oral iron therapy, received a weekly dose of 200 mg of intravenous iron sucrose until the hemoglobin level was corrected or until receiving the total dose of intravenous iron calculated for each patient
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels were 8.54 g/dL and 7.63 ng/mL (pre-treatment) and 12.1 g/dL and 99.0 ng/mL (post-treatment) (p-value < 0.0001), respectively. The average increases in hemoglobin levels were 3.29 g/dL for women and 4.58 g/dL for men; 94% of male and 84% of female patients responded (hemoglobin increased by at least 2 g/dL) to intravenous iron therapy. Correction of anemia was obtained in 47 of 69 (68.1%) female patients and in 12 of 17 male (70.6%) patients. A total of 515 intravenous infusions of iron sucrose were administered and iron sucrose was generally well tolerated with no moderate or serious adverse drug reactions recorded by the investigators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data confirm that the use of intravenous iron sucrose is a safe and effective option in the treatment of adult patients with iron deficiency anemia who lack satisfactory response to oral iron therapy. Intravenous iron sucrose is well tolerated and with a clinically manageable safety profile when using appropriate dosing and monitoring. The availability of intravenous iron sucrose would potentially improve compliance and thereby reduce morbidities from iron deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Hematology-Oncology Department, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo - FCMSCSP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodolfo Delfini
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Cançado
authors.forename: Pedro Otavio Novis
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: de Figueiredo
authors.forename: Maria Cristina Albe
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Olivato
authors.forename: Carlos Sérgio
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chiattone