This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of of intravenous iron sucrose (Venoferrum(R)) for treating the perioperative anemic gastrectomy patients.

From September 2006 to February 2007 at Seoul National University Hospital, the gastrectomy patients who displayed perioperative anemia (7.0 g/dl < or = hemoglobin levels (Hb) < 11.0 g/dl) and who were admitted or visited the outpatient clinic of the Department of surgery, were divided into two groups. The preoperative (< or = 2~3 weeks before gastrectomy) or postoperative (> or = 1 month after gastrectomy) patients without evidence of acute bleeding were included into Group 1. The immediate postoperative (< 1 month after gastrectomy) patients with stable vital signs were included into Group 2. The age, gender, diagnosis, Hb, hematocrit (Hct), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), serum ferritin (SF), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), serum iron and reticulocyte counts (RC) were evaluated before and after intravenous iron sucrose administration. The adverse effects of drugs were investigated.

The number of patients of group 1 and group 2 was 79 and 46, respectively. In group 1, there was a statistically significant difference in the Hb, Hct, MCV, SF, RC and TIBC with each mean change of 1.3 g/dl, 4.1%, 3.1fl, 195 ng/ml, 0.2% and -86.4 ug/dl, respectively. In group 2, there was a statistically significant difference in the Hb, Hct, MCV, SF and RC with each mean change of 1.8 g/dl, 6.1%, 3.4fl, 260 ng/ml and 0.3%, respectively. Two patients (1.6%) suffered local thrombophlebitis as an adverse effect. CONCLUSION: Intravenous iron sucrose for the perioperative anemia of gastrectomy patients was efficacious in the short period without significant adverse effects.