Weight loss surgery linked to iron deficiency anemia postoperatively, finds study
Canada: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and iron deficiency are common long-term consequences in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery or weight loss surgery, suggests a recent study. Furthermore young age, anemia, and low ferritin before surgery are associated with an increased risk of iron deficiency anemia during follow-up. The study has been published in the journal Blood Advances.
Deborah M. Siegal, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, for and colleagues reported the incidence and predictors of iron deficiency, iron deficiency anemia (IDA), and IV iron use after weight loss surgery or bariatric surgery.
For the purpose, the researchers conducted a retrospective study of all adult patients who had undergone bariatric surgery from January to December 2012 and were followed for at least 6 months. Time-to-event data were presented as Kaplan-Meier curves. A total of 388 patients were included in the study. They were followed for a median of 31 months.
Key findings of the study include:
- Iron deficiency, IDA, and the use of IV iron were reported in 43%, 16%, and 6% of patients, respectively.
- The cumulative incidence of iron deficiency and IDA increased with longer follow-up, and there was a significant increase in IV iron use starting 3 years after surgery.
- Malabsorptive procedures (hazard ratio [HR], 1.92) and low baseline ferritin (HR, 0.96) were associated with an increased risk of iron deficiency.
- Young age (HR, 0.90), baseline anemia (HR, 19.6), and low baseline ferritin (HR, 0.96) were associated with an increased risk of IDA.
"Our results support previous reports that IDA and iron deficiency are common after bariatric surgery. They are associated with low baseline ferritin levels. The increased use of IV iron following the first 3 years of surgery adds to the growing body of evidence that IDA is a delayed consequence of bariatric surgery. Prospective studies are needed to explore oral iron supplementation strategies to reduce the risk of IDA and to define the role of IV iron in this patient population," concluded the authors.
"Iron deficiency following bariatric surgery: a retrospective cohort study," is published in the journal Blood Advances.
