Role of perioperative intravenous iron therapy in elderly hip fracture patients: a single-center randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: The main objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of intravenous (IV) iron sucrose therapy reducing transfusion requirements in elderly patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: This study was a prospective randomized controlled trial involving 200 patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. Group A (100 patients) received standard treatment, while Group B (100 patients) received iron sucrose (600 mg IV). The primary endpoint was the number of patients that were transfused postoperatively. The secondary endpoints were the rate of red blood cell units used, hematimetric variables of blood tests, mortality, infection rates, length of hospital stay, and appearance of side effects. RESULTS: Differences in the percentage of patients requiring transfusion (Group A 41.3% vs. Group B 33.3%) and in the number of concentrates transfused (0.87 +/- 1.21 for Group A vs. 0.76 +/- 1.16 for Group B) were not significant for the patient group as a whole, but were significant for patients with intracapsular fractures (45.7% required transfusion in Group A vs. 14.3% in Group B; p < 0.005) and in patients with a baseline hemoglobin (Hb) level of 12 g/dL or more (35.2% required transfusions in Group A vs. 19% in Group B; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Transfusion requirements in patients with intracapsular fracture or baseline Hb level of 12 g/dL or more appear to be reduced by IV iron sucrose therapy, but there was no difference in morbidity, mortality, or length of hospital stay. The treatment is safe and hastens recovery from blood loss.