Predictive value of iron deficiency anaemia on the one-year disease course in inflammatory bowel disease patients in clinical and biochemical remission

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is a common comorbidity in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). It is hypothesized that IDA result in poorer outcomes also in patients with remission. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective real-life cohort study assessed the predictive value of IDA in inactive IBD patients. IDA was defined as ferritin <30 μg/mL and transferrin saturation <20% with the presence of anaemia. Primary outcome was the need of hospitalization/abdominal surgery. Secondary outcome was minor complications, defined as new treatment admission and/or dose escalation during the follow-up period. RESULTS: In total, 708 patients (median age:43.1 years [IQR: 32.3-49.6]; male/female ratio:332/379; CD:397, UC:311; IDA/non-IDA 85/623) were enrolled. The presence of IDA increased the risk of minor complications (OR:1.9) and hospitalization/abdominal surgery (OR:2.8). CONCLUSION: IDA predicts the risk of relapse in patients with clinical and biochemical remission in the outpatient setting. IDA may help to identify underlying disease activity in patients with clinical and biochemical remission in time, therefore, in these cases we suggest further workups and to consider treatment modification.