Management of iron deficiency in various clinical conditions and the role of intravenous iron: Recommendations of the Spanish Erythropathology Group of the Spanish Society of Haematology and Haemotherapy

Abstract

Iron deficiency due to blood loss, absorption disorders and dietary deficiencies causes iron-deficiency anaemia, whose treatment seeks to eliminate the underlying cause and restore haemoglobin and iron deposits. Typically, the latter 2 of these objectives can be achieved through oral iron therapy. Intravenous iron administration (IIA) should be limited to those patients refractory or intolerant to oral preparations or who require rapid repletion. The indiscriminate use of IIA can increase morbidity and mortality due to iatrogenic overload. This fact, coupled with the growing popularity of IIA and the lack of reference guidelines in Spanish, led the Spanish Erythropathology Group of the Spanish Society of Haematology and Haemotherapy to develop this study, which presents the main recommendations on the optimal use of IIA in iron deficiency and attempts to constitute reference guidelines on good practices for the clinical management of these conditions.

Keywords: Anaemia; Anemia; Anemia ferropénica; Anemia mixta; Déficit funcional de hierro; Functional iron deficiency; Guidelines; Guía; Hierro; Hierro intravenoso; Hierro oral; Intravenous iron; Iron; Iron overload; Iron-deficiency anaemia; Manual de buenas prácticas; Manual of good practices; Mixed anaemia; Oral iron; Sobrecarga de hierro.