Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37979057›Full record

SynthesisNaunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology2024

Daily versus alternate day oral iron therapy in iron deficiency anemia: a systematic review.

Sangita Kamath, Reena Sherin Parveen, Shreya Hegde, Edlin Glane Mathias, Veena Nayak, Archit Boloor

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
3.5field-weighted citation impact, top 7% 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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. FIGO good practice recommendations on anemia in pregnancy, to reduce the incidence and impact of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2025
    Guideline
  3. Guideline
  4. Pooled it
  5. Article
  6. Patient blood management in pregnancy, the peripartum, and the postpartum period.Revista brasileira de ginecologia e obstetricia : revista da Federacao Brasileira das Sociedades de Ginecologia e Obstetricia · 2026
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. 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

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Sangita KamathDepartment of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka-576104, Manipal, India.
Reena Sherin ParveenDepartment of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka-576104, Manipal, India.
Shreya HegdeDepartment of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka-576104, Manipal, India.
Edlin Glane MathiasDepartment of Health Information, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka-576104, Manipal, India.
Veena NayakDepartment of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka-576104, Manipal, India. veena.nayak@manipal.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9372-2680
Archit BoloorDepartment of General Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka-575002, Manipal, India.
Manipal Academy of Higher Education · IN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Daily administration of oral iron is considered the current treatment standard for treating iron deficiency anemia due to availability and reduced cost compared to intravenous iron therapy. But adverse effects like epigastric pain, heartburn, and constipation reduce compliance to daily oral iron. There is scanty evidence regarding compliance and efficacy with alternate-day iron therapy. As per our knowledge, this is the first systematic review to compare daily with alternate-day oral iron therapy. Six electronic databases including PubMed and EMBASE were searched for randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies published between January 2000 to March 2023 that compared daily with alternate day iron therapy in individuals diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. The primary outcome analyzed was a change in hemoglobin. The other hematological parameters were assessed as secondary outcomes. Risk of bias was assessed regarding randomization process, deviation from intended intervention, missing outcome data, measurement of the outcome, and selection of the reported result. Out of the 9 full-text articles, 2 were not included as one was an ongoing trial and the second one had a different study design. The reviewed trials involved 594 participants, and the study participants ranged from 19 to 200. The mean age of the participants in the reported trials was 21 ± 2 to 49 ± 16 years. There is no significant increase in hemoglobin level and also the iron indices namely ferritin, hepcidin, total iron binding capacity, and reticulocyte count between daily and alternate-day dosing of iron. However, the frequency of adverse effects especially nausea, metallic taste, and altered bowel habits are reduced with alternate-day dosing. Oral iron given daily or on alternate days did not have a significant difference in the hemoglobin levels though iron absorption may be affected in the initial few days.Trial registration: The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (Prospero2023CRD42023393095).

Indexed as

Anemia, Iron-DeficiencyIronAdministration, OralAdultDrug Administration ScheduleHemoglobinsHumansMiddle AgedRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultHemoglobinsIronAlternate-day therapyAnemiaComplianceOral iron therapy

Identifiers

PMID37979057
OpenAlexW4388796796

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.