Table 1.
Study characteristics of included studies
| Authors, Year Country |
Study design | Participants | Type of iron & Days | Daily group | Alternate group | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily group | Alternate | Dose (f) | Hb level (before) | Hb level (after) | Dose (f) | Hb level (before) | Hb level (after) | |||||||||
| Total M: F |
Age (Yr) | BMI | Type | Total M: F |
Age (Yr) | BMI | Type | |||||||||
| Jongkraijakra et al., 2023 Thailand | RCT | 7:25 | 49 ± 15 | 23.7 ± 4.7 | Anaemic | 6:26 | 49 ± 16 | 25.0 ± 5.5 | Anaemic |
ferrous fumarate Week12 |
200 mg | 8.0 ± 1.6 | 12.4 ± 1.9 | 200 mg | 8.1 ± 1.9 | 11.9 ± 1.1 |
| Kaundal et al., 2020 India | RCT | 5:26 | 37.1 ± 12.3 | - | Anaemic | 3:28 | 34.3 ± 12.4 | - | Anaemic |
Ferrous sulfate 6weeks |
60 mg iron | 8.9 ± 1.3 | 11.8 ± 1.7 | 120 mg iron | 8.9 ± 1.6 | 10.9 ± 1.3 |
| Kaynar et al., 2022 Turkey | RCT | F40 | 35.6 ± 8.3 | - | anaemic | F43 | 35.8 ± 8.4 | - | anaemic |
iron sulfate 2 months |
2*80 mg | 9.7 ± 1.2 | 13.2 ± 0.9 | 2*80 mg | 10.1 ± 1.5 | 13.3 ± 0.7 |
| Kron et al., 2023 Canada | RCT | 4:20 |
(mean ± SD 47.2 ± 18.1 |
(mean ± SD 25.9 ± 6.7 |
anaemic | 6:21 | 44.4 ± 17.1 | 27.0 ± 7.0 | anaemic |
Ferrous sulfate 12 weeks |
300 mg (60 mg elemental iron | 11 ± 1.3 | 13.2 ± 1.7 | 300 mg (60 mg elemental iron | 11 ± 1 | 12.6 ± 1 |
| McCormick et al., 2020 Australia | Parallel-group RCT | 6:9 | 26 ± 6 | - | healthy | 3:13 | 26 ± 5 | - | healthy |
Ferrous sulfate 8weeks |
105 mg of elemental iron |
15.71 ± 2.46 |
16.48± 2.38 |
105 mg of elemental iron |
13.42± 2.56 |
13.22± 1.6 |
| Mehta et al., 2020 India | Prospective RCT | 11:9 | 34 ± 6.67 | - | Anaemic | 12:8 | 33.7 ± 7.36 | - | Anaemic |
Ferrous sulfate Day 21 |
60 mg iron | 10.05 ± 1.38 | 10.46 ± 1.63 | 60 mg iron | 9.6 ± 1.84 | 11.18 ± 1.31 |
| Oflas et al., 2019 Turkey | Prospective RCT | F50 | 34.06 ± 9.593 | - | Anaemic | F50 | 33.2 ± 9.373 | - | anaemic |
Ferrous sulfate 1 month |
80 mg iron | 10.48 ± 1.38 g/dL | 12.76 ± 0.97 g/dL | 80 mg iron | 10.31 ± 1.23 g/dL | 12.35 ± 1.07 g/dL |
| Pasupathy et al., 2023 India | RCT | 98 | 45.33 ± 17.31 | - | anaemic | 96 | 49.23 ± 15.71 | - | anaemic |
Ferrous sulfate 8 weeks |
60 mg elemental iron | 6.68 ± 1.89 | 8.01 ± 1.8 | 60 mg elemental iron | 6.53 ± 1.89 | 7.59 ± 1.58 |
| Siebenthal et al., 2023 Switzerland | RCT | F75 | 26 (21–29) | 21.7 (2.3) | anaemic | F75 | 24 (21–28) | 21.3 (2.1) | anaemic |
Ferrous sulfate 186 days |
100 mg iron | 13.3 ± 0.8 | 13.4 ± 0.8 | 100 mg iron | 13.3 ± 0.8 | 13.4 ± 0.8 |
| Stoffel et al., 2017 Switzerland | RCT | F 21 | 22 years (IQR 21–25) | - | anaemic | F19 | 22 years (IQR 21–24) | - | anaemic |
Ferrous sulfate 28 days |
60 mg iron | Mean SD 12·8 (11·7, 14·0) | 13·2 (12·5, 14·0) | 60 mg iron |
Mean SD 13·2 (12·5, 14·0) |
13·6 (12·9, 14·4) |
| Zavaleta et al., 2000 Peru | RCT | F101 | 15.3 ± 1.6 | 21.5 ± 3.0 | healthy | F98 | 15.1 ± 1.6 | 21.3± 2.9 | healthy |
Ferrous sulfate 17 wk |
60 mg iron | 12.6 ± 0.94 | 13.71 ± 0.94 | 60 mg iron | 12.74 ± 0.89 | 13.43 ± 0.89 |
n = number of participants; SD = standard deviation; M = male; F = female; Yr = year; mg = milligram; f = frequency; Hb = haemoglobin; BMI = body mass index; wk = week; IQR = inter quartile range; RCT = randomized control trial;