Intravenous iron therapy in a rural hospital: A retrospective chart review

Intravenous iron infusion therapy is commonly delivered in rural hospitals, but there are no common guidelines for dosing or choice of agent. The objective of the study was to understand present practice and alternate therapies and develop practical recommendations for small hospital use.

This was a retrospective chart review of all non-dialysis patients aged 15 years or older who received iron replacement therapy at Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre from May 2013 to May 2019 and a literature review of available iron preparations.

Of the 147 patients who received intravenous iron replacement, 75 were administered a single dose of 200 mg or 500 mg iron sucrose. Commonly used in pregnant patients, an increase in haemoglobin by an average of 9.2 g/L followed a 200 mg dose and 12.5 g/L after 500 mg. The 3-h infusion time for the 500 mg dose consumed considerably more nursing resources. Non-pregnant patients can be transfused more effectively with iron maltoside which can efficiently deliver larger doses of iron.

We recommend iron maltoside for efficient intravenous iron replacement in non-pregnant patients and single or multiple doses of 200 mg iron sucrose during pregnancy.