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The Treatment of Iron Deficiency Anaemia by Iron‐Dextran Infusion: A Radio‐Isotope Study
Author(s) -
Will G.,
Groden B. M.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1968.tb01473.x
Subject(s) - medicine , iron deficiency , reticulocyte , gastroenterology , spleen , surgery , anemia , chemistry , biochemistry , messenger rna , gene
S ummary A 59 Fe labelled preparation has been used to follow the distribution and fate of intravenously administered iron‐dextran (Imferon) in 10 patients with iron deficiency anaemia and three non‐anaemic adult female subjects. In all anaemic patients a satisfactory reticulocyte response occurred with a peak between the 8th and 10th day, and was followed by a progressive and maintained rise in haemoglobin. The mean weekly haemoglobin increments for the first 3 weeks were 1.9, 1.6 and 0.7 g. and the haemoglobin had reached normal levels in all by the 9th week. Surface scintillation counting showed increasing radioactivity over liver, spleen and sacrum up to the end of the 1st week, followed by a gradual decrease during the next 2 weeks so that by the 21st day the radioactivity over these sites had fallen to below the initial values. The sternal counts dropped during the 1st week, then levelled off and thereafter showed a slow but maintained increase. The findings in the normal subjects did not differ significantly from those in the anaemic patients. There were no general systemic reactions during or after the infusions, nor was there evidence of disturbance of renal or hepatic function. Local venous thrombosis occurred in two patients. Iron‐dextran is well tolerated when given intravenously. The stability of the compound is shown by the absence of untoward symptoms in the immediate post‐infusion period when plasma iron levels are very high. The haematological response is rapid and complete, and the results compare favourably with those obtained by other methods of iron therapy.