Ferrous sulfate bests iron complex in treating IDA in infants, young kids

The investigators noted a few limitations of the study.

First, it was conducted in a single tertiary-care children’s hospital, the Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.

Second, a disproportionate number of patients were from lower income and minority families and frequently had severe anemia, with approximately 23% requiring blood transfusion prior to study start.

And third, the trial had a high lost-to-follow-up rate of 25% at the final visit.

So the results may not be generalizable to the general pediatric population.

Nevertheless, the investigators concluded, “Once daily, low-dose ferrous sulfate should be considered for children with nutritional iron-deficiency anemia.”

The team reported their findings in JAMA.

The study was an investigator-initiated trial with sponsorship from Gensavis Pharmaceuticals LLC, the manufacturer of the iron polysaccharide complex used in the trial. The company provided funding for both trial drugs.

The study received additional grant support from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.