Management of iron defi ciency and anaemia in infl ammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Abstract

Iron deficiency anaemia is one of the most common extraintenstinal manfestations in patients with IBD. Therefore, all IBD patients should be screened for the presence of anaemia1. The World Health Organisation defines anaemia as a haemoglobin (Hb) level of less than 13,0 g/dl in men and less than 12,0 g/dl and 11,0 g/dl in nonpregnant and pregnant women, respectively2. The anaemia prevalence rate in IBD ranges from 6 to 74% in the literature3, with the marked differences relating to study populations (in- versus out-patient), disease entities (Crohn’s disease versus ulcerative colitis) or the anaemia definition used3. Recent data has shown that up to 49% of Crohn’s disease patients and 39% of ulcerative colitis (UC) patients have had at least one episode of anaemia in the first 12 months after initial diagnosis4. Another study revealed that 32% of UC patients and 38% of Crohn’s patients had iron deficiency (ID)5.