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Anaemia - iron deficiency - Management
Should I consider a diagnostic trial of iron treatment?
- Feedback from expert reviewers and a paper on investigating iron status in microcytic anaemia [Galloway and Smellie, 2006] suggest that if the diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia is in doubt despite serum ferritin results, a diagnostic trial of oral iron treatment is appropriate in premenopausal women with a history of menorrhagia, or pregnant women (if there is no suspicion of coeliac disease).
- A diagnostic trial of iron treatment should not be used for postmenopausal women as they are more at risk of occult gastrointestinal bleeding and malignancy [Baker, 2000].
- For more information about iron treatment, see Treating iron deficiency anaemia.
- For more information about when to test to confirm a response to treatment, see Monitoring during treatment.
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