SynthesisBMJ global health2023
Oral iron supplementation and anaemia in children according to schedule, duration, dose and cosupplementation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 129 randomised trials.
Synthesis in BMJ global health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.
- Management of paediatric ulcerative colitis, part 1: Ambulatory care-An updated evidence-based consensus guideline from the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation.Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition · 2025Guideline
- Pooled it
- A comparative analysis of heme vs non-heme iron administration: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.European journal of nutrition · 2024Pooled it
- Safety and efficacy of East Asian herbal medicine for iron deficiency anemia in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2024Pooled it
- Effect of combined probiotic and iron-folic acid supplementation on iron status and gut inflammation markers: a randomized controlled trial among anaemic children.European journal of clinical nutrition · 2026Trial
- Oral iron supplementation as a public health intervention in children aged 6 to 23 months for preventing iron deficiency and anaemia: Economic evaluation for the South African health system.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2026Article
- Pediatric Oral Iron Therapy: Choosing the Right Product for Your Patient.Hematology reports · 2026Review
- Is it time to offer routine screening for iron deficiency in healthy adolescent females?British journal of haematology · 2025Review
- Liposomal SunActive versus conventional iron for treatment of iron-deficiency anemia in children aged 2-12 years: a prospective randomized controlled trial.Clinical and experimental pediatrics · 2025Article
- Efficacy of Biweekly Iron Supplementation on Iron Status in Under-Five Children: A Prospective Cohort Study.Indian pediatrics · 2025Article
- Spatial variations and determinants of vitamin A and iron rich food consumption among Bangladeshi children aged 6-23 months.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Iron supplementation in children to prevent deficiency and anaemia: A qualitative synthesis.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2025Article
- Daily versus intermittent iron supplementation among children with iron deficiency anemia: A meta-analysis.Pakistan journal of medical sciences · 2024Article
- Iron Pill-Induced Gastritis in a Pediatric Patient Taking Ferrous Sulfate Tablets.The journal of pediatric pharmacology and therapeutics : JPPT : the official journal of PPAG · 2024Article
- Use of Different Iron Preparations for Prophylaxis and Effects on Iron Status in Infancy.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Oral iron therapy: Current concepts and future prospects for improving efficacy and outcomes.British journal of haematology · 2024Review
- One-Year Daily Micronutrient Supplementation and Anemia Prevalence Among Mildly Stunted Infants in Bhaktapur, Nepal.Sage open pediatricsArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
introductionWHO guidelines on iron supplementation among children call for further research to identify the optimal schedule, duration, dose and cosupplementation regimen.
methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials was undertaken. Randomised controlled trials providing ≥30 days of oral iron supplementation versus placebo or control to children and adolescents aged <20 years were eligible. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to summarise the potential benefits and harms of iron supplementation. Meta-regression was used to estimate iron effect heterogeneity.
results129 trials with 201 intervention arms randomised 34 564 children. Frequent (3-7/week) and intermittent (1-2/week) iron regimens were similarly effective at decreasing anaemia, iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia (p heterogeneity >0.05), although serum ferritin levels and (after adjustment for baseline anaemia) haemoglobin levels increased more with frequent supplementation. Shorter (1-3 months) versus longer (7+ months) durations of supplementation generally showed similar benefits after controlling for baseline anaemia status, except for ferritin which increased more with longer duration of supplementation (p=0.04). Moderate-dose and high-dose supplements were more effective than low-dose supplements at improving haemoglobin (p=0.004), ferritin (p=0.008) and iron deficiency anaemia (p=0.02), but had similar effects to low-dose supplements for overall anaemia. Iron supplementation provided similar benefits when administered alone or in combination with zinc or vitamin A, except for an attenuated effect on overall anaemia when iron was cosupplemented with zinc (p=0.048).
conclusionsWeekly and shorter duration iron supplementation at moderate or high doses might be optimal approaches for children and adolescents at risk of deficiency. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42016039948.
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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.