A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF INTRAVENOUS FERRIC CARBOXYMALTOSE COMPARED WITH ORAL IRON IN THE TREATMENT OF POSTPARTUM IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA - A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY

Volume : VII, Issue : IV, April - 2018

Dr. Priyadarshini, Dr. Neetha George, Dr. Sareena Gilvaz

WHO has defined postpartum iron deficiency anemia (PPIDA) as hemoglobin (Hb) of <10 gm% during the postpartum period. The prevalence of

PPA varies from 4% to 27%. Ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) is a non – dextran containing type 1 complex designed to be administered in large doses

by rapid (over 15 minutes) intravenous infusion6. The FCM complex is composed of a polynuclear iron(III) hydroxide complexed to

carboxymaltose. Aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of FCM injection with oral iron in treatment of PPIDA.425 women

between day 1 to day 10 of normal delivery with moderate anemia (Hb 7–10 g/dl) underwent the screening tests at JMMCRI, Thrissur, Kerala. On

the basis of Peripheral blood smear examination and/or RBC indices, 140 subjects with PPIDA were finally recruited in the study. Pre–treatment

baseline hematological parameters were comparable in both the groups. Mean Hb was 8.4 vs 8.4 g/dl, mean serum iron was 49.5 vs 54.3 mg/dl

mean ferritin was 12.7 vs 12.8 ng/ml in parenteral and oral groups respectively. Significantly higher number of women in parenteral group achieved

Hb rise>3 gm/dl (75.7% vs 15.7%, p value < 0.001) after 6 weeks of therapy but this difference was not statistically significant at 3 weeks (10.0% vs

2.9%, p value 0.085). FCM was better tolerated than ferrous sulphate with low incidence of gastrointestinal adverse effects, rapid normalization of

iron stores, better compliance and shorter treatment period.