FERRIC TRIMALTOL CORRECTS IRON-DEFICIENCY ANEMIA IN PATIENTS INTOLERANT OF IRON

Background: Oral iron supplements, which are usually in the form of fe rrous (Fe2+) salts, are toxic to the gastrointestinal mucosa, and so i ntolerance is common, resulting in poor compliance and failure of trea tment. The sugar derivative maltol strongly chelates iron, rendering i t available for absorption and stabilized in the less toxic ferric (Fe 3+) form. Aim: To test whether ferric trimaltol could correct iron def iciency anaemia in patients intolerant of ferrous sulphate, Methods: T wenty-three patients were recruited from gastroenterology clinics, of whom 15 had inflammatory bowel disease, a group often difficult to tre at with oral iron, Patients with iron deficiency anaemia and documente d intolerance to ferrous sulphate were given 3 months of treatment wit h ferric trimaltol. Results: Nineteen of 23 patients completed the tre atment and anaemia was fully corrected in 14 of these, mean haemoglobi n increased from 106 +/- 15 to 126 +/- 16 g/L, and there was a particu larly low incidence of side-effects, Of 11 patients with inflammatory bowel disease who completed the study, nine fully corrected their anae mia. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that in patients intolerant o f ferrous compounds, ferric trimaltol corrects iron deficiency and has a low incidence of side-effects.