TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficacy of iron supplementation on physical capacity in non-anaemic iron-deficient individuals
T2 - protocol for an individual patient data meta-analysis
AU - Dugan, Cory
AU - Peeling, Peter
AU - Burden, Richard
AU - Richards, Toby
PY - 2024/7/15
Y1 - 2024/7/15
N2 - Background: A deficiency in iron stores is associated with various adverse health complications, which, if left untreated, can progress to states of anaemia, whereby there is significant detriment to an individual’s work capacity and quality of life due to compromised erythropoiesis. The most common methods employed to treat an iron deficiency include oral iron supplementation and, in persistent and/or unresponsive cases, intravenous iron therapy. The efficacy of these treatments, particularly in states of iron deficiency without anaemia, is equivocal. Indeed, both randomised control trials and aggregate data meta-analyses have produced conflicting evidence. Therefore, this study aims to assess the efficacy of both oral and intravenous iron supplementation on physical capacity, quality of life, and fatigue scores in iron-deficient non-anaemic individuals using individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis techniques. Methods: All potential studies, irrespective of design, will be sourced through systematic searches on the following databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE Ovid, Embase Ovid, Web of Science: Science Citation Index Expanded, Web of Science: Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Individual patient data from all available trials will be included and subsequently analysed in a two-stage approach. Predetermined subgroup and sensitivity analyses will be employed to further explain results. Discussion: The significance of this IPD meta-analysis is one of consolidating a clear consensus to better inform iron-deficient individuals of the physiological response associated with iron supplementation. The IPD approach, to the best of our knowledge, is novel for this research topic. As such, the findings will significantly contribute to the current body of evidence. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42020191739.
AB - Background: A deficiency in iron stores is associated with various adverse health complications, which, if left untreated, can progress to states of anaemia, whereby there is significant detriment to an individual’s work capacity and quality of life due to compromised erythropoiesis. The most common methods employed to treat an iron deficiency include oral iron supplementation and, in persistent and/or unresponsive cases, intravenous iron therapy. The efficacy of these treatments, particularly in states of iron deficiency without anaemia, is equivocal. Indeed, both randomised control trials and aggregate data meta-analyses have produced conflicting evidence. Therefore, this study aims to assess the efficacy of both oral and intravenous iron supplementation on physical capacity, quality of life, and fatigue scores in iron-deficient non-anaemic individuals using individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis techniques. Methods: All potential studies, irrespective of design, will be sourced through systematic searches on the following databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE Ovid, Embase Ovid, Web of Science: Science Citation Index Expanded, Web of Science: Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Individual patient data from all available trials will be included and subsequently analysed in a two-stage approach. Predetermined subgroup and sensitivity analyses will be employed to further explain results. Discussion: The significance of this IPD meta-analysis is one of consolidating a clear consensus to better inform iron-deficient individuals of the physiological response associated with iron supplementation. The IPD approach, to the best of our knowledge, is novel for this research topic. As such, the findings will significantly contribute to the current body of evidence. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42020191739.
KW - Individual patient data
KW - Iron deficiency
KW - Iron supplementation
KW - Non-anaemia
KW - Physical capacity
KW - Quality of life
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85198644032&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s13643-024-02559-4
DO - 10.1186/s13643-024-02559-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 39010146
AN - SCOPUS:85198644032
SN - 2046-4053
VL - 13
JO - Systematic Reviews
JF - Systematic Reviews
IS - 1
M1 - 182
ER -