Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27686346›Full record

Trial reportIntensive care medicine2016

Intravenous iron or placebo for anaemia in intensive care: the IRONMAN multicentre randomized blinded trial : A randomized trial of IV iron in critical illness.

IRONMAN Investigators, Edward Litton, Stuart Baker, Wendy N Erber, Shannon Farmer, Janet Ferrier, Craig French, Joel Gummer, David Hawkins, Alisa Higgins and 9 more

2 registry-linked trialsAbstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Intensive care medicine, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 44 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
44citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
8.4field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05292001 phase4recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Role of Single-dose Intravenous Iron Therapy for the Treatment of Anemia in the Setting of Orthopaedic Trauma: a Pilot Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorOregon Health and Science UniversityRan2022 to 2026Enrolled150ConditionsAcute Blood Loss Anemia, FractureArmsIron-Dextran Complex Injection [InFed], Saline Placebo
NCT06670963 phase4recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

The Use of Epoetin Alfa and Iron Derisomaltose in the Treatment of Anemia in Patients With Sepsis or Septic Shock Hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit: a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorPiotr CzempikRan2024 to 2027Enrolled200ConditionsAnemia, Sepsis, Septic ShockArmsIron, EPO, 0.9 % NaCl
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

44 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 116 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Guideline
  4. Intravenous iron therapy for non-anaemic, iron-deficient adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019
    Pooled it
  5. Trial
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Iron, Hepcidin, and Immunity.Advances in experimental medicine and biology · 2025
    Review
  10. What do we know about micronutrients in critically ill patients? A narrative review.JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition · 2025
    Review
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Iron and erythropoietin to heal and recover after intensive care (ITHRIVE): A pilot randomised clinical trial.Critical care and resuscitation : journal of the Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine · 2023
    Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors at 7 institutions in 3 countries.

IRONMAN Investigators
Edward LittonIntensive Care Unit, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, WA, 6150, Australia. ed.litton@health.wa.gov.au.
Stuart BakerIntensive Care Unit, Sir Charles Gardner Hospital, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
Wendy N ErberSchool of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
Shannon FarmerCenter for Population Health Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6102, Australia.
Janet FerrierIntensive Care Unit, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, WA, 6150, Australia.
Craig FrenchWestern Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Joel GummerSeparation Science and Metabolomics Laboratory, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia.
David HawkinsIntensive Care Unit, Joondalup Health Campus, Perth, WA, Australia.
Alisa HigginsCentre of Research Excellence for Patient Blood Management in Critical Illness and Trauma, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Axel HofmannCenter for Population Health Research, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6102, Australia.
Bart De KeulenaerIntensive Care Unit, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, WA, 6150, Australia.
Julie McMorrowIntensive Care Unit, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, 6000, Australia.
John K OlynykDepartment of Gastroenterology, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.
Toby RichardsUniversity College London, London, UK.
Simon TowlerIntensive Care Unit, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, WA, 6150, Australia.
Robert TrengoveSeparation Science and Metabolomics Laboratory, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia.
Steve WebbSchool of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group
The University of Western Australia · AUFiona Stanley Hospital · AUMurdoch University · AUCurtin University · AURoyal Perth Hospital · AUMonash University · AUThe University of Melbourne · AU

Funding

Department of Health 10/104/06
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeBoth anaemia and allogenic red blood cell transfusion are common and potentially harmful in patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Whilst intravenous iron may decrease anaemia and RBC transfusion requirement, the safety and efficacy of administering iron intravenously to critically ill patients is uncertain.

methodsThe multicentre, randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded Intravenous Iron or Placebo for Anaemia in Intensive Care (IRONMAN) study was designed to test the hypothesis that, in anaemic critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit, early administration of intravenous iron, compared with placebo, reduces allogeneic red blood cell transfusion during hospital stay and increases the haemoglobin level at the time of hospital discharge.

resultsOf 140 patients enrolled, 70 were assigned to intravenous iron and 70 to placebo. The iron group received 97 red blood cell units versus 136 red blood cell units in the placebo group, yielding an incidence rate ratio of 0.71 [95 % confidence interval (0.43-1.18), P = 0.19]. Overall, median haemoglobin at hospital discharge was significantly higher in the intravenous iron group than in the placebo group [107 (interquartile ratio IQR 97-115) vs. 100 g/L (IQR 89-111), P = 0.02]. There was no significant difference between the groups in any safety outcome.

conclusionsIn patients admitted to the intensive care unit who were anaemic, intravenous iron, compared with placebo, did not result in a significant lowering of red blood cell transfusion requirement during hospital stay. Patients who received intravenous iron had a significantly higher haemoglobin concentration at hospital discharge. The trial was registered at http://www.anzctr.org.au as # ACTRN12612001249842.

Indexed as

Administration, IntravenousAdultAgedAllograftsAnemiaConfidence IntervalsCritical IllnessDouble-Blind MethodErythrocyte TransfusionFemaleFerric CompoundsHemoglobinsHumansIntensive Care UnitsIntention to Treat AnalysisMaleferric carboxymaltoseFerric CompoundsHemoglobinsMaltoseAllogeneic red blood cell transfusionAnaemiaCritical careIV iron

Identifiers

PMID27686346
OpenAlexW2529449813

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.