On the therapeutic effects of trivalent and divalent iron in iron deficiency anaemia

The effectiveness of orally administered iron was investigated using three different iron preparations in a randomized study with 3 patient groups, each consisting of 20 subjects with iron deficiency anaemia. Group A received a ferric(III)-dextrin complex, group B Fe(II)-sulfate, and group C Fe(II)-fumarate with vitamins. For all three preparations the increase in the number of erythrocytes as well as hemoglobin and hematocrit values ran absolutely parallel for a period of 12 weeks. A relevant difference between the trivalent ferric-dextrin complex and the two bivalent iron preparations could not be detected on evaluation of the parameters measured except for a moderate increase in the transaminase values in the patients group who received the Fe(II)-sulfate preparation. No differences were found among the preparations with respect to tolerance. The results are discussed with respect to a possible overloading of the iron transport system by highly absorptive Fe(II)-preparations.