Abstract
A blind randomized trial was conducted in a low-income community in the city of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, with 193 anemic (Hb <12 mg/dl) and "menstruating" women (age range: 15-45 years) to compare daily and weekly doses of ferrous sulfate (60 mg elemental iron) and treatment compliance. Blood samples were taken from 484 women to determine hemoglobin levels before and after the trial and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) at end of treatment. After 12 weeks' follow-up, 150 women completed the trial, 79 on the alternative weekly regimen and 71 on the conventional daily regimen. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations (MCHC) prior to treatment were 10.52 g/dl (DP=1.13) and 10.72 g/dl (DP=0.92), respectively, for the alternative and conventional regimens. After the intervention they were 11.83 g/dl (DP=0.97) for the weekly regimen and 11.62 g/dl (DP=1.39) for the daily one. The alternative regimen was better accepted than the conventional one. There was no significant difference (p=0.22) between differences in the mean values of the two regimens, although the cure rate was higher after the alternative treatment. The study concluded that the weekly regimen was no less effective than daily treatment.
Highlights
Resumo Mediante um ensaio terapêutico randomizado e cego em 193 mulheres (15-45 anos de idade) anêmicas (Hb
A blind randomized trial was conducted in a low-income community in the city of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, with 193 anemic (Hb
Blood samples were taken from 484 women to determine hemoglobin levels before and after the trial and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) at end of treatment
Summary
O ensaio foi realizado na comunidade de Santo Amaro, na cidade do Recife, Nordeste do Brasil. As mulheres que apresentaram níveis de hemoglobina entre 7,5 g/dl e 11,9 g/dl responderam a um questionário e receberam o sulfato ferroso, formando os grupos de tratamento alternativo e de tratamento convencional. O experimento foi realizado apenas em mulheres anêmicas, com níveis de hemoglobina entre 7,5 g/dl e 11,9 g/dl e observada uma média de 10,6 g/dl (DP = 1,02), sendo que 6,7% apresentaram hemoglobina abaixo de 9,0 g/dl, 45,6% tinham teores compreendidos entre 9,0 g/dl e 10,9 g/dl e 47,7% entre 11,0 g/dl e 11,9 g/dl de hemoglobina. A distribuição das características da amostra estudada em relação aos dois tratamentos administrados (Tabela 1) mostra que os grupos eram estatisticamente comparáveis, ao nível de 5%, em relação a idade, instrução, posse de bens duráveis, índice de massa corporal e, finalmente, médias de hemoglobina. Número de participantes Média e DP de Hb antes Média e DP de Hb depois % de cura (Hb ≥ 12 g/dl) % de anemia microcítica
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