COMPARISON OF THE EFFICACY OF ORAL AND IV IRON THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Background: One of the most prevalent types of nutritional deficiency among children globally, and in particular the developing nations, is iron deficiency anemia (IDA). It is connected to poor development in physical growth, poor immunity, and poor neurocognitive outcomes. Even though the use of oral iron therapy is rampant as an initial intervention therapy, its attack has generally been compromised by low adherence rates, gastrointestinal side effects, and lack of absorption. The use of intravenous (IV) iron therapy has increasingly been regarded as an alternative to it because it replaces iron in a brief time but in an efficient way.

Objective: To compare the mean hemoglobin concentration between oral iron therapy vs intravenous iron therapy in children suffering from iron deficiency anemia.  

Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial, which was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics in Sir Ganga Ram hospital, Lahore  that was carried out during August 2025 and November 2025, including 60 children aged between 1 and 16 years old with IDA diagnosis. There were two groups of participants. Group A was fed on oral iron (iron hydroxide polymaltose complex), and Group B was fed on intravenous iron SEO. The level of hemoglobin was measured at baseline and re-data were taken on day 14 and day 28 after the therapy had been initiated. Data were subjected to the pertinent statistical tests, and a p-value of 0.05 was considered important.

Results: The two groups improved in the levels of hemoglobin but the increment was much higher in the intravenous group at both points of follow up ( p < 0.001). By 28 days, the average increase in hemoglobin levels rose significantly in patients who were administered IV iron than those who were placed under oral treatment, a result that, clearly, demonstrated a quicker and more efficient hematolog response.

Conclusion: IV iron treatment is more effective compared to oral iron in producing quick restoration in haemoglobin concentration in children with IDA. It is also a useful alternative especially when oral therapy fails or is poorly tolerated.