Table 2.

Intravenous iron formulations available in Italy.

Active ingredient	Ferric gluconate	Ferric carboxymaltose	Iron sucrose
Pharmaceutical form (volume in ml)	po/IV vial (5)	IV vial (10)	IV vial (5)
Amount of elemental iron/vial (mg)	62.5	500	100
Indications	Treatment of iron deficiency anaemia in patients with lack of response to oral iron	Treatment of iron deficiency anaemia in patients with known intolerance or lack of response to oral iron	Iron deficiency: in case of a clinical need for rapid release of iron from reserves: (i) in case of drug intolerance or noncompliant patients; (ii) in case of IBD patients in active phase of disease, when oral iron treatment is not efficient
Maximum dose that can be administered as a single infusion (mg)	From 62.5 to 125	1000	200
Cumulative dose prescribed /patient (based on the most commonly calculated iron needs) (mg)	1000	1000	1000
Time necessary to reach maximum single dose (min)	“Very slowly” (not less than 50)	15 (for a maximum quantity of 1000 mg)	30 (for a maximum quantity of 200 mg)
Number of sessions/visits needed to instil the prescribed dose of 1000 mg (RCP)	16 for a single dosage of 62,5 mg and 8 for a single dosage of 125 mg	1	5
Cumulative time necessary to instil the prescribed dose of 1000 mg (minutes)	(i) 800 when applying “very slowly” (50 per every infusion of 62.5 mg) (ii) 400 for dosage of 125 mg	15	150