SynthesisAnaesthesia2025
The use of iron after surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Anaesthesia, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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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
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Patient blood management in general intensive care patients.Intensive care medicine · 2026Review
- Anemia and Iron Deficiency in Cardiac Surgery Patients: Prevalence, Implications, and Therapeutic Considerations.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionAnaemia in patients having surgery is associated with worse postoperative outcomes. Management with intravenous iron is an attractive therapeutic option, however, pre-operative intravenous iron administration is challenging. Evidence from interventional trials suggests that the greatest benefit is after hospital discharge. As anaemia is common after surgery, this meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of postoperative iron therapy to increase haemoglobin levels.
methodsRelevant databases were searched from inception to 6 April 2023. Randomised controlled trials in adults undergoing elective surgery with postoperative anaemia, comparing intravenous or oral iron with control groups were included. The primary outcome was haemoglobin level at the end of study. Secondary outcomes included quality of life; blood transfusion requirements; incidence of adverse events; requirement for readmission; and mortality.
resultsFifteen randomised controlled trials including 1865 patients were identified. Seven studies investigated intravenous iron, six investigated oral iron and two compared intravenous with oral iron. Intravenous iron increased postoperative haemoglobin levels compared with placebo or no intervention (mean difference 4.51 g.l DISCUSSION: Our meta-analysis of iron therapy for treating anaemia after major surgery found that intravenous iron administered within 30 days of surgery increased haemoglobin levels effectively, whereas oral iron showed no benefit.
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Registered trials
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