Efficiency of intravenous iron carboxymaltose in patients with iron-deficiency anemia due to heavy menstrual bleeding: a single-center experience.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is the most common cause of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in premenopausal women. Clinical studies have shown that iron carboxymaltose (ICM) is an appropriate, effective, and well-tolerated treatment option for clinical situations associated with iron deficiency (ID). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study took 78 out of 400 consecutive patients diagnosed with IDA due to HMB and intolerant or insufficient response of oral iron. All patients were administered the total calculated dose of ICM separately, based on the body weight and current hemoglobin (Hb) level. All the anemia parameters of the patients were compared before and after treatment. RESULTS: All anemia parameters, including median Hb, ferritin, and transferrin saturation, significantly increased four weeks after treatment. Pre- and post-treatment mean Hb levels were 8.9 (± 1.7) g/dL and 12.3 (± 1.2) g/dL, respectively. The mean ferritin level of the patients before treatment was 3.93 (± 2.7) ng/mL. After treatment, the mean ferritin level was 244 (± 185) ng/mL. The mean transferrin saturation levels before and after treatment were 5.7% (± 5.0) and 43.1% (± 20.9), respectively. Although no serious side effects were observed in all patients, headache was detected in 2 patients (2.6%), urticaria in 3 patients (3.8%), and flushing in 2 patients (2.6%). CONCLUSIONS: ICM is an effective and safe treatment option for patients with IDA due to HMB, in which oral iron therapy is insufficient or intolerant. In fact, without waiting for the failure or intolerance of oral iron therapy, moving ICM to the frontline could be cost-effective and more convenient to patients with HMB and health care providers.