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Abstract
Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a prevalent nutritional deficiency in children, leading to impaired growth and development.
Objective: To compare the effectiveness of intermittent oral iron therapy versus continuous oral iron therapy in treating iron deficiency anemia in patients up to 5 years of age in terms of the mean change in hemoglobin and ferritin levels from the baseline.
Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at University of Child Health Sciencs, The Children's Hospital Lahore, from October 2024 to March 2025. A total of 60 children diagnosed with IDA were randomly assigned to two groups: Group A (Continuous Oral Iron Therapy) and Group B (Intermittent Oral Iron Therapy). The primary outcomes, hemoglobin (Hb) and ferritin levels, were measured at baseline and after 2 months of treatment.
Clinical Trial number TCTR20251128005 registered at
ThaiClinicalTrialsRegistry (https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/show/TCTR20251128005)
Results: The mean increase in Hb levels was significantly greater in Group A (3.1 ± 0.8 g/dL) compared to Group B (1.8 ± 1.2 g/dL) (p ≤ 0.001). Similarly, the mean increase in ferritin levels was higher in Group A (13.1 ± 4.3 ng/mL) compared to Group B (8.7 ± 3.5 ng/mL) (p ≤ 0.001). Group A also had more frequent gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea, gastric discomfort, and constipation, compared to Group B (p ≤ 0.05). Adherence was significantly better in Group B (93%) compared to Group A (80%) (p ≤ 0.05).
Conclusion: Continuous oral iron therapy was more effective in improving hemoglobin and ferritin levels than intermittent therapy. However, intermittent therapy showed fewer side effects and better adherence, making it a viable option for patients who experience discomfort with daily dosing. The choice of therapy should be personalized, considering both the efficacy and the patient's ability to tolerate and adhere to the treatment regimen.