Since iron deficiency in blood donors is a common problem and compliance for taking oral iron supplements may be challenging, researchers in Denmark investigated the feasibility of giving intravenous iron to donors. Researchers randomized 85 first-time female blood donors in a double-blind, prospective clinical trial comparing iron isomaltoside (1000 mg) to a placebo infusion of saline. The 41 donors who received a full dose of intravenous iron had higher hemoglobin levels compared to the placebo group before the second blood donation (difference, +0.35 g/dL; 95% CI, 0.03-0.68; p=0.0327) and the third blood donation (difference, +1.25 g/dL; 95% CI, 0.90-1.61; p=0.0001). Furthermore, ferritin and iron levels were also higher in the women who received the intravenous iron. There were no serious adverse events, and side effects were similar between trial arms. Additional research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous iron supplementation among other donor populations and examine its acceptability.
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