Population
Patients with anaemia secondary to nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (n= 151).
Intervention
Six weeks of 600 mg/d oral ferrous fumarate (treatment group, n= 77).
Comparison
No iron supplementation (control group, n= 74).
Outcome
The proportion of patients achieving composite haemoglobin response was greater in the treatment group than in the control group (72.7% vs. 45.9%; adjusted risk ratio [RR], 2.980). At end of treatment, the percentage change in the haemoglobin level (34.2 ± 24.8 % vs. 19.4 ± 19.9 %; adjusted coefficient, 11.543) was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group; however, the proportions of patients with a serum ferritin level <30 μg/L and a transferrin saturation <16% were lower in the treatment group. No significant differences in treatment-associated adverse effects and adherence rates were observed between the groups.
