Preoperative intravenous iron and the risk of blood transfusion in colorectal cancer surgery: meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
Lederhuber H, Massey LH, Abeysiri S, Roman MA, Rajaretnam N, McDermott FD et al.
Br J Surg 2024; 111: znad320.
This meta-analysis included five RCTs, involving 485 patients. Overall 16.1 per cent of patients received a blood transfusion. Intravenous iron reduced the need for perioperative blood transfusion from 19.5 to 12.7 per cent, P=0.04. Complication rates, mortality and duration of hospital stay were not affected.
Comment: Iron treatment reduced the need for transfusion only. Other significant endpoints were not improved. It’s role remains uncertain.
15 April 2024