Effectiveness and Safety of Intravenous Iron Sucrose Therapy in Children with Iron Deficiency Anemia

Abstract

Background: Iron deficiency anemia is linked with growth retardation, cognition impairment, reduced interest in daily activities and has been shown to contribute to infant mortality. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of intravenous iron sucrose treatment in children with iron deficiency anemia. Methodology: A quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar from November 2020 to April 2021. Patients younger than 18 years with iron deficiency who were refractory to conventional therapy were included and patients who were non-compliant with the oral iron therapy prescribed before the study were excluded. Patients were administered iron sucrose complex intravenously as per standard protocol. The patient's demographics, hemoglobin, ferritin levels, and other related variables were recorded. Results: A total of 152 patients were enrolled in the study with a mean age of 4.26 ± 3.21 years. At baseline, the mean hemoglobin was 7.01 ± 0.69 g/dL which increased to 12.35 ± 0.71 g/dL (p<0.001). The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) before treatment was 66.35 ± 3.56 fL which was raised significantly to 88.42 ± 6.87 fL by day 30 (p<0.001). The greatest pre-and post-treatment difference was observed in ferritin levels (6.95 ± 4.37 μg/L versus 49.67 ± 4.82 μg/L, p<0.001). Conclusion: The current study revealed that iron sucrose therapy is very effective and considered safe for children between the ages of 1 and 17 years with no serious adverse effects.