EFFICACY OF ORAL IRON SUPPLEMENTATION IS NOT ENHANCED BY ADDITIONAL INTRAVENOUS IRON DURING AUTOLOGOUS BLOOD DONATION

BACKGROUND: The study compared the efficacy of oral iron combined with intravenous iran supplementation to that of oral iron supplementation alone in increasing the preoperative production of hemoglobin (Hb) in autologous blood donors with normal iron stores. STUDY DESIGN AND MET HODS: One hundred eight iron-replete patients who were scheduled for d onation of 3 units of autologous blood at weekly intervals were random ly assigned to receive, in a double-blind fashion, no iron supplementa tion (placebo, Group I), oral iron supplementation (285.6 mg of elemen tal iron/day, Group 2), or oral iron plus intravenous iron supplementa tion (285.6 mg of elemental iron/day orally plus 102.5 mg of elemental iron/week intravenously, Group 3). The amount of Hb produced during t he 21-day study period was determined by the total amount of Hb donate d minus the change in the amount of circulating Hb between the first d onation (Day 0) and the poststudy examination (Day 21). RESULTS: Hb pr oduction did not differ significantly in the two iron-supplemented gro ups (oral iron, 85 +/- 36 g; oral plus intravenous iron, 74 +/- 43 g). The patients in the oral iron group produced a significantly greater amount of Hb than those in the placebo group (85 +/- 36 g vs. 52 +/- 4 1 g, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Oral iron supplementation increased the prod uction of Hb in autologous blood donors more than placebo did. Additio nal intravenous iron did not lead to a further increase in preoperativ e Hb production.