IRON THERAPY IN CHRONICALLY FATIGUED, NONANEMIC WOMEN: A DOUBLE-BLIND STUDY

Abstract

Iron and placebo were given to a group of women who complained of chronic fatigue but whose blood hemoglobin levels were above 12.0 g%. Each woman received one period of Fe therapy and one period of placebo therapy; the order of presentation of Fe and placebo was varied at random. Comparative improvement in the 2 periods of therapy was correlated with independently determined measures of the body Fe stores, viz., bone marrow stainable Fe and plasma Fe and Fe-binding capacity. Hemoglobin determinations were carried out at intervals. Although the hemoglobin values of the patients were all within the normal range at the beginning of the study, an increase in the average hemoglobin level occurred in the Fe-deficient group when they were given Fe. Apparently, although the hemoglobin value of these patients was within the normal range, it was frequently below their individual norm. No significant change in the average hemoglobin level occurred in the group of patients with adequate Fe stores, or in the Fe-deficient group, during placebo administration. Of 18 Fe-depleted patients, 13 manifested more symptomatic improvement with Fe therapy than with placebo therapy, while 5 improved more with placebo therapy than with Fe therapy. In contrast, of 11 women with only slightly reduced Fe stores or normal Fe stores, 4 improved more with Fe, 5 manifested more improvement with placebo and 2 did not improve at all. In view of these results, the possibility that nonanemic women may benefit clinically from Fe therapy deserves further study.