Clinical and Etiological Profile of Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Adults

Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common condition in adults, particularly affecting women of childbearing age. It is the leading cause of anemia worldwide and represents a major public health concern. Purpose of the study: analyze the clinical and etiological profile of iron deficiency anemia in an internal medicine department. Materials and Methods. This was a retrospective study conducted over a 4-year period (January 2021 to December 2024) at the OUED-EDDAHAB military hospital in Agadir. Results: Our study included 151 cases. The mean patient age was 35.2 years, with a male-to-female (M/F) ratio of 0.07. Women of reproductive age (14–50 years) were the most affected group. The mean hemoglobin level was 8.3 g/dL. Gynecological blood loss and malabsorption syndromes were the primary etiological mechanisms. However, digestive disorders were the leading cause of IDA in our series. Among the studied cases, we identified: 51 cases of gynecological bleeding (33.8%), 41 cases of impaired absorption (27.2%), 26 cases of gastrointestinal bleeding (17.2%), 9 cases of dietary deficiency (6%), 5 cases of PICA syndrome (3.3%), and 18 cases of undetermined origin (11.9%). Injectable iron therapy played a significant role in management in our setting, being prescribed in 56.3% of cases. Conclusion: The causes of IDA in adults are multifactorial, involving several mechanisms. Gastrointestinal disorders were the most frequent in our series, consistent with literature data. For blood loss, gynecological causes predominated. The diagnostic approach to IDA is guided by clinical findings, and treatment relies on iron supplementation alongside etiological management.