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Treating patients with oral iron can be difficult because of poor gastrointestinal tolerance or absorption. In this meta-analysis, investigators assessed the efficacy and safety of using intravenous (IV) iron in patients with anemias that are considered to be responsive to iron therapy.
Researchers analyzed 72 randomized trials in which IV iron was compared with oral iron or no iron. Collectively, the trials included patients with iron deficiency and patients with hypoproliferative anemias characterized by reduced availability of iron for hemoglobin synthesis (e.g., anemias related to chronic inflammation, renal disease, or chemotherapy). In 50 trials (7600 participants), IV iron led to significantly higher mean hemoglobin concentrations (ab…