There was no increased risk of infections with IV iron .
Gastrointestinal AEs were reduced with IV iron .
CONCLUSION Intravenous iron therapy is not associated with an increased risk of SAEs or infections .
Infusion reactions are more pronounced with IV iron
OBJECTIVE To amass all available evidence regarding the safety of intravenous ( IV ) iron preparations to provide a true balance of efficacy and safety .
Oral or intravenous iron as an adjuvant to autologous blood donation in elective surgery: a randomized, controlled study.
BACKGROUND This study was performed to evaluate the capacity of oral and intravenous ( i.v . ) iron administration during autologous blood donation ( ABD ) to improve the efficacy of ABD and to prevent the need for allogeneic blood transfusion in patients without iron deficiency who are undergoing major elective surgery for which a minimum of 3 autologous units have been ordered . STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS One hundred twenty-three patients were enrolled in an open-labeled , r and omized , controlled trial and assigned to three treatment groups : patients in Group 1 received 3 x 100 mg of Fe2 + per day given orally for 5 weeks before operation ; patients in Group 2 received 200 mg of Fe3 + given intravenously after each donation combined with initial i.v . iron supplementation in patients with hemoglobin under 15 g per dL ; and patients in Group 3 were in the  control group  that received no iron medication . A modest ABD program involving weekly phlebotomy and threshold hemoglobin values for donation of 11.5 g per dL in women and 12.0 g per dL in men was performed . RESULTS Ninety patients , 15 women and 15 men in each of the three groups , completed the study . The mean net red cell production during ABD was no higher ( p>0.2 ) in the iron-treated groups ( Group 1 : 473 + /- 178 mL ; Group 2 : 436 + /- 170 mL ; Group 3 ( controls ) : 397 + /- 174 mL ) . The mean number of autologous units donated per patient did not differ ( p>0.7 ) among the groups ( Group 1 : 3.1 + /- 0.6 ; Group 2 : 2.9 + /- 0.7 ; Group 3 : 3.0 + /- 0.7 ) . The proportion of patients who needed allogeneic blood transfusion showed no significant ( p>0.4 ) advantage for iron treatment , ( Group 1 : 7 % ; Group 2 : 20 % ; Group 3 : 10 % ) . CONCLUSION In non-iron-deficient patients undergoing modest ABD without erythropoietin therapy , neither oral nor i.v . application of iron during the preoperative period enhances the success of preoperative ABD
There was no increased risk of infections with IV iron .
Gastrointestinal AEs were reduced with IV iron .
CONCLUSION Intravenous iron therapy is not associated with an increased risk of SAEs or infections .
Infusion reactions are more pronounced with IV iron
OBJECTIVE To amass all available evidence regarding the safety of intravenous ( IV ) iron preparations to provide a true balance of efficacy and safety .