What is the recommended dose of sucrosomial iron (iron) for treating anemia of inflammation?

Dosage of Sucrosomial Iron for Anemia of Inflammation

For anemia of inflammation, the recommended dosage of sucrosomial iron is 30 mg per day for at least 12 weeks. 1

Understanding Anemia of Inflammation

Anemia of inflammation (AI), also known as anemia of chronic disease (ACD), is characterized by:

• Serum ferritin >100 μg/L and transferrin saturation (TfS) <20% in the presence of inflammation 2
• If ferritin is between 30-100 μg/L, a combination of true iron deficiency and ACD is likely 2

Sucrosomial Iron Benefits in Inflammatory Conditions

Sucrosomial iron offers several advantages for treating anemia of inflammation:

• Better GI Tolerability: Causes fewer gastrointestinal side effects compared to conventional oral iron formulations 1
• Effective Despite Inflammation: Can bypass hepcidin-mediated absorption blockade that typically limits oral iron absorption in inflammatory states 1
• No Inflammatory Response: Unlike ferrous sulfate, sucrosomial iron does not induce inflammatory markers or hepcidin expression 3
• High Compliance: In clinical studies, 80% of inflammatory bowel disease patients took >90% of the prescribed sucrosomial iron regimen 1

Dosing Protocol

1. Standard Dose: 30 mg of sucrosomial iron daily 1
2. Duration: Minimum 12 weeks of treatment 1
3. Administration: Take in the morning rather than afternoon/evening to avoid circadian increases in hepcidin 4
4. Monitoring: Check hemoglobin after 4 weeks and complete iron studies after 4-8 weeks 2

Expected Response

• Hemoglobin should increase by 1-2 g/dL within 4-8 weeks 2
• Target parameters: ferritin ≥50 μg/L and transferrin saturation >20% 2
• In clinical studies, 86% of inflammatory bowel disease patients showed significant hemoglobin improvement after 12 weeks of treatment 1

When to Consider Alternative Approaches

Consider intravenous iron instead of oral sucrosomial iron if:

• Hemoglobin <10 g/dL 5
• Patient has clinically active inflammatory disease 5
• Previous intolerance to oral iron preparations 5
• Need for rapid correction of anemia 5

Follow-up and Monitoring

• Monitor hemoglobin and iron indices every 3 months for at least a year after correction 5
• Continue monitoring every 6-12 months thereafter 5
• Consider maintenance therapy if recurrent iron deficiency occurs 5

Important Considerations

• Sucrosomial iron is not listed in standard iron replacement tables in major guidelines, indicating it is a newer formulation with growing evidence 5
• For patients not responding to iron therapy alone, consider evaluation for ongoing blood loss or addition of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents 2
• Withhold iron supplementation during active infections as these patients were excluded from clinical trials 5