Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose versus standard care in the management of postoperative anaemia: a prospective, open-label, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Despite increasing efforts in perioperative management, postoperative iron deficiency anaemia persists, and few data are available about the management of this condition. In this study, we aimed to determine whether giving postoperative intravenous iron (in the form of ferric carboxymaltose) improved iron stores, haemoglobin concentrations, and outcomes following surgery.

Methods: We did a prospective, open-label, randomised, controlled study of patients at two centres (a general hospital and a private health-care centre) in Tasmania, Australia, undergoing elective surgery with functional iron deficiency anaemia (haemoglobin 70-120 g/L and ferritin ≤100 μg/L or iron saturation ≤20%), measured at day 1 postoperatively.