"What are the latest treatments for iron-deficiency anemia, and how do they compare to traditional iron supplements in efficacy and patient adherence?"
The latest treatments for iron-deficiency anemia include both traditional oral iron supplements and newer formulations designed to improve efficacy and patient adherence. Here's a comparison:
Traditional Treatments:
- Ferrous Sulfate: The most commonly prescribed oral iron supplement. It's effective but often causes gastrointestinal side effects like nausea, constipation, and stomach upset, which can reduce patient adherence1.
Newer Formulations:
- Iron Polysaccharide Complex: Designed to have a more pleasant taste and be better tolerated.
- Ferric Maltol: A lipophilic iron donor that is easier on the stomach.
- Sucrosomial Iron: Encapsulated in nanoparticles to improve absorption and reduce gastrointestinal side effects.
Efficacy and Adherence:
- Efficacy: Both traditional and newer treatments are effective in correcting iron-deficiency anemia and replenishing iron stores. However, newer formulations may offer better absorption and fewer side effects, potentially leading to improved patient adherence1.
- Adherence: Patient adherence is often higher with newer formulations due to reduced gastrointestinal side effects. For example, studies have shown that administering iron every other day can increase absorption and reduce side effects compared to daily dosing
Overenthusiastic iron supplementation should be avoided. Instead food rich in iron and free of phytates should be taken. Also reducing agent like vitamine C and food containing very weak acid enhance its absorption in the intestine. This researcher had published iron and mineral metabolism for tuberculosis patients. Zinc was reported to take active part in iron metabolism. Those papers may be gone through.
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