What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to evaluate how intravenous iron therapy affects hemoglobin levels in patients with varying degrees of iron deficiency anemia.

April 23, 2026Saudi Journal of Emergency Medicine0 citationsOpen Access

Comparative effects of parenteral iron therapy in stable iron deficiency anemia with mild vs severe anemia

TATawfiq Almezeiny

Key Points

This research aims to evaluate how intravenous iron therapy affects hemoglobin levels in patients with varying degrees of iron deficiency anemia.
Conducted a retrospective observational study on adults with stable iron deficiency anemia
Grouped patients based on baseline hemoglobin levels, comparing outcomes after IV ferric carboxymaltose treatment
Measured hemoglobin and serum iron levels before and after treatment
Significant hemoglobin increase was observed in both groups, with Group 1 showing greater augmentation
Mean final augmentation magnitude of hemoglobin was higher in severe anemia (3.34 g/dl vs. 1.37 g/dl)
No major adverse events occurred; mild adverse events were observed in 6.5% of patients

Abstract

Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is frequently identified in hemodynamically stable patients and may be managed variably, including potentially avoidable transfusion. Whether intravenous (IV) iron produces similar hemoglobin (Hb) responses across anemia severity remains unclear.Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of adults (18 years old) with IDA who were hemodynamically stable, considered asymptomatic, and who electively received IV ferric carboxymaltose in the hospital IV unit from January 1, 2022, through the end of June 2022. IDA was defined as Hb 12 g/dl with baseline serum iron 75 g/dl. We excluded patients with cardiac disease, renal disease, fainting episodes, pregnancy, missing results, or loss to follow-up. Patients were grouped by baseline Hb: Group 1 (Hb 5-9 g/dl) and Group 2 (Hb 9.1-12 g/dl). We compared baseline and 1-month follow-up Hb and serum iron and calculated the final augmentation magnitude of Hb (FAM) and serum iron augmentation (IA).Results: The final cohort included 296 patients (Group 1, n = 52; Group 2, n = 244). Hb increased in most patients in both groups. Mean FAM was higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (3.34 vs. 1.37 g/dl; p 0.05). Mean IA was also higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (204 vs. 137.8 g/dl; p 0.05). No major adverse events (AEs) occurred; 16 patients (6.5%) experienced mild AEs. No patient received a transfusion during follow-up.Conclusion: IV iron therapy was effective and well tolerated across Hb strata, with significantly greater Hb augmentation among patients with more severe anemia.

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