The Effect of Oral Iron Therapy on the Stool Guaiac and Orthotolidine Reactions
Authors: JAMES R. BRAYSHAW
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1963)

Article1 August 1963The Effect of Oral Iron Therapy on the Stool Guaiac and Orthotolidine ReactionsJAMES R. BRAYSHAW, M.D., FORREST HARRIS, M.D., PAUL R. MCCURDY, M.D.JAMES R. BRAYSHAW, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, FORREST HARRIS, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, PAUL R. MCCURDY, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-59-2-172 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptSince occult gastrointestinal bleeding is of paramount importance in the genesis of iron deficiency in the adult, the physician must know how oral therapy with iron salts affects the results of the commonly used tests for occult blood in the stool. Some investigators have suggested that oral iron can produce a weakly positive guaiac reaction (1, 2), but others have been unable to confirm these findings (3-6). Interpretation of these studies is difficult because there were relatively few determinations, the types and doses of oral iron varied, and the tests were not performed by one individual in standard fashion.The...References1. JOHNSONOLIVER ASEB: Effect of ingested iron on tests for occult blood in stools. J. Lab. Clin. Med. 26: 727, 1941. Google Scholar2. HOERRBLISSKAUFFMAN SOWRJ: Clinical evaluation of various tests for occult blood in the feces. JAMA 141: 1213, 1949. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. HARVEY JC: The lack of effect of ingested ferrous sulfate on the guaiac test for occult blood in the stool. Amer. J. Med. Sci. 232: 17, 1956. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. PERANIOBRUGER AM: The detection of occult blood in feces including observations of the ingestion of iron and whole blood. J. Lab. Clin. Med. 38: 433, 1951. MedlineGoogle Scholar5. BURGER GN: The influence of iron on the benzidine and guaiac tests for occult blood. Guy. Hosp. Rep. 84: 112, 1934. Google Scholar6. FORSHAWMASON JWGM: Evaluation of occult-blood tests on feces. Lancet 2: 470, 1954. CrossrefGoogle Scholar7. KOHNO'KELLY JT: An orthotolidine method for the detection of occult blood in feces. J. Clin. Path. 8: 249, 1955. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. PageCulver LBPJ Syllabus of Laboratory Examinations and Clinical Diagnosis, ed. by , Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1960, p. 377. Google Scholar9. EBAUGHCLEMENSRODNANPETERSON FGTGRE: Quantitative measurements of gastrointestinal blood loss: I. The use of radioactive Cr51 in patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Amer. J. Med. 25: 169, 1958. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. MASONBELFUS EWFH: Detection of occult blood as a routine office procedure. JAMA 149: 1526, 1952. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. BARNETT RN: The guaiac test—correlation with clinical findings. Gastroenterology 21: 540, 1952. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar12. HEPLERWONGPIHL OEPHD: Comparison of tests for occult blood in feces. Amer. J. Clin. Path. 23: 1263, 1953. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar13. RIDEROWENS JAFJ: Evaluation of an orthotolidine test (Fecatest) for determination of occult blood. JAMA 156: 31, 1954. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Washington, D. C.From the Departments of Medicine, The Georgetown University School of Medicine and The George Washington University School of Medicine; The Georgetown Medical Division of the District of Columbia General Hospital; and The Medical Department of the District of Columbia Jail, Washington, D. C.This investigation was supported in part by a grant-in-aid from Flint Eaton and Company, Decatur, Illinois.Requests for reprints should be addressed to Paul R. McCurdy, M.D., District of Columbia General Hospital, Washington 3, D. C.*In the form of Hematest® Tablets, Ames Company, Inc., Elkhart, Indiana.*As Ferrolip® (Flint Eaton and Company, Decatur, Illinois).†As Ferronord® (Nordson Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Inc., New York, New York). PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByMore on Oral Iron and the Hemoccult TestEffect of iron on the guaiac reactionCorrelation between qualitative and quantitative faecal occult blood testsFalse-Positive Stool Occult Blood Tests Caused by Iron PreparationsLEVAMISOLE, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, AND COLD LYMPHOCYTOTOXIC ANTIBODIESDETECTION OF OCCULT BLOOD IN FÆCESReliability of chemical tests for fecal occult blood in hospitalized patientsSensitivity and reproducibility of chemical tests for fecal occult blood with an emphasis on false-positive reactions 1 August 1963Volume 59, Issue 2Page: 172-179KeywordsConstipationDrugsHematologic testsHemorrhageHospital medicineIngestionIron deficiencyOral medicineSalts Issue Published: 1 August 1963 PDF DownloadLoading ...