Comparison of Oral Iron Supplement Formulations for Normalization of Iron Status Following Roux-en-Y Bariatric Surgery

BackgroundIron deficiency is common after gastric bypass (GB) and treatment with oral supplementation using non-heme iron, although currently recommended, is controversial. The study objective is to compare the effectiveness of oral iron supplementation using non-heme versus heme iron for repletion of iron deficiency. MethodsUsing a randomized, controlled, single-blind study design, women who had GB and were iron deficient received non-heme iron (FeSO4, 65 mg t.i.d.) or heme iron (12 mg t.i.d.). Measures of iron status, including blood concentrations of ferritin, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), and hemoglobin were determined at baseline and at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after supplementation. Data is presented as mean ± SE, or mean (95% CI). ResultsThe study is ongoing, but preliminary findings are presented herein. Baseline characteristics of screened patients (N=28) are age: 40.4±1.4 years; BMI: 34±1.4 kg/m2; time since surgery: 5.7±0.6 years; ferritin: 38.0 μg/L (16.1, 5...