[Efficacy and tolerability of ferric carboxymaltose in geriatric patients with anemia. Data from three non-interventional studies]

Treatment with ferric carboxymaltose in stable patients with severe iron deficiency anemia in the emergency department

The AABB Choosing Wisely Campaign recommends "don't transfuse for iron deficiency without hemodynamic instability". However, the management of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in the emergency department (ED) is heterogeneous and patients are often over-transfused. Intravenous iron is effective in correcting anemia and new formulations, including ferric carboxymaltose (FCM), allow the administration of high doses with low immunogenicity. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the management of hemodynamically stable patients aged 18-55 years with severe IDA (hemoglobin < 8 g/dL), who presented to the ED from January 2014 to July 2018. Patients who received FCM (FCM1) and those who did not receive FCM (FCM0) were compared. Efficacy and safety of FCM at follow-up were evaluated. Seventy-one subjects fulfilled the inclusion criteria (FCM0 n = 48; FCM1 n = 23). The mean Hb at admission was 6.6 g/dL. 40% in the FCM0 and 13% in FCM1 were transfused (p = 0.02). 21% of FCM0 patients were admitted to the ward, while all FCM1 were discharged (p = 0.02). Within 2 weeks, the Hb increase was 2.8 ± 1 g/dL in the FCM1 group. Sixteen FCM1 patients were evaluated at 52 ± 28 days (median 42, range 27-122): the average Hb increase was 5.3 ± 1.4 g/dL. In summary, we showed that FCM administration in the ED in hemodynamically stable patients was associated with fewer transfusions and hospital admissions compared to the FCM0 group; moreover, it succeeded in safely, effectively and rapidly increasing Hb levels after discharge from the ED. Further studies are needed to develop recommendations for IDA in the ED and to identify transfusion thresholds for non-hospitalized patients.

[Perioperative patient blood management in the aged-more than only transfusion? : Review of the 4th symposium of the working group on anemia on the occasion of the annual meeting of the German Geriatric Society in Frankfurt 2019]

Anemia is frequent in older people with one in two geriatric inpatients being affected. Therefore, in elective surgery, such as endoprosthetic treatment it is very likely that anemia is already present in a preoperative setting. So far there are no particular guidelines about perioperative management of anemia in geriatric patients. The existing recommendations of the Patient Blood Management (PBM) network cooperation and the current Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) S3 guidelines on preoperative anemia refer to all patients aged >18 years but without particular consideration of the growing number of oldest old orthogeriatric patients. This is more problematic as anemia in the aged has been shown to be different from anemia in younger patients in terms of diagnostics and treatment. Based on several interdisciplinary lectures, this year the symposium of the working group on anemia of the German Geriatric Society (DGG) focused on the problems of perioperative PBM in orthogeriatric patients and encouraged the discussion about developing PBM treatment recommendations for this patient group.

[Anemia in the aged]

Anemia in the aged is still often an underestimated clinical problem; however, in recent years increasing research on this topic has permitted deeper insights, allowing a differentiated approach to anemia in the aged. Meanwhile, multicausality and a negative impact on functional outcome have become characteristics of anemia in older people. This has led to a scientific discussion on the question of accepting anemia as a geriatric syndrome. The present article gives a concise overview of the current state of research on this clinically relevant subject.

Postoperative Intravenous Ferric Carboxymaltose Reduces Transfusion Amounts after Orthopedic Hip Surgery

Background

This retrospective study was performed to determine whether postoperative intravenous ferric carboxymaltose reduces transfusion amounts without influencing clinical outcomes in patients that have undergone hip surgery.

Methods

Between May 2014 and April 2016, the authors adopted a new perioperative blood management protocol involving the administration of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose after hip surgeries. One-to-one matching between the 150 patients treated during this period with 150 patients treated before initiation of the new protocol was performed by propensity scoring for age, sex, diagnosis, and type of hip surgery. Hematologic results and clinical outcomes in these two groups were compared.

Results

Average amounts of perioperative blood loss were not different in the two groups. Ninety-two patients (61%) were transfused in the control group and 70 patients (47%) were transfused in the intravenous ferric carboxymaltose group. The average number of transfused blood units was significantly lower in the intravenous ferric carboxymaltose group (1.7 ± 2.7 units vs. 1.0 ± 1.2 units, p = 0.002). At 6 weeks after surgery, the average hemoglobin concentration recovered to baseline in both groups, but the amount of recovered hemoglobin concentration at 6 weeks was significantly greater in the intravenous ferric carboxymaltose group than in the control group. Clinical outcomes including incidences of postsurgical complications were similar between the two groups.

Conclusions

This study suggests that postoperative intravenous ferric carboxymaltose injection is associated with reduced transfusion amounts and that intravenous ferric carboxymaltose does not influence clinical outcomes after hip surgery.

[Geriatric inpatients with iron deficiency-associated Restless Legs Syndrome. A retrospective analysis]

OBJECTIVE

The Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a clinically relevant condition in geriatric patients. An association between iron deficiency and RLS is largely acknowledged. The clinical and therapeutic management of iron deficiency-associated RLS has been, however, poorly evaluated in geriatric patients.

METHODS

Data from all RLS inpatients admitted to a geriatric unit between 2009 and 2011 were retrospectively collected on demographics and clinical characteristics, iron status, drug treatment including iron substitution, as well as comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) scores.

RESULTS

RLS was diagnosed in 56 of the 4,063 admitted patients during the two years. Of the RLS cases, 20 (36%) showed iron deficiency. Thirteen of these were treated with iron substitution according to the existing guidelines. Both RLS patients with and without iron deficiency showed a significant clinical improvement between admission to discharge according to the CGA scores.

CONCLUSION

Iron substituted geriatric patients with iron deficiency-associated RLS substantially benefited from the treatment, similarly to RLS patients without iron deficiency. A multidimensional assessment, careful iron metabolism examination and adequate treatment choice should be equally importantly considered in geriatric patients with RLS.

Anaemia in the Elderly IBD Patient

Anaemia is a common multifactorial extraintestinal manifestation in IBD patients. Moreover, anaemia represents an important health problem among the elderly population and has a significant impact on healthcare utilisation and costs. Data on the prevalence, diagnosis and management of anaemia in elderly IBD patients are scarce, since clinical trials have largely excluded this population. In this review, we reconsider anaemia in older IBD patients in the light of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools.