Hemoglobin regeneration in severe iron-deficiency anemia. Response to orally and parenterally administered iron preparations

Abstract

Severe iron deficiency anemia can be corrected very nearly as fast by several inexpensive preparations of oral iron as by iron dextran injection or saccharated iron oxide. The average rate of increase in hemoglobin concentration in 28 women who ingested ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate, or ferrous fumarate in amounts which provided 180 to 220 mg of iron per day was 0.25 gm/ 100 ml/day compared to 0.28 gm/100 ml/day in 14 who received iron dextran injection intramuscularly and 0.33 gm/100 ml/day in 14 who were treated with saccharated iron oxide given by intravenous infusion. Ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate, or ferrous gluconate in a daily dose containing about 200 mg of iron are very satisfactory for treating most cases of severe iron deficiency anemia.