What iron loading regimen is described for a new patient with ferritin <500 and TSAT <30%?

What iron loading regimen is described for a new patient with ferritin <500 and TSAT <30%?

• A. Venofer 200 mg daily for 5 days
• B. Venofer 200 mg weekly for two weeks
• C. Venofer 200 mg as a single dose
• D. Venofer 400 mg daily for 5 days

Answer: (A)

When a new patient shows iron deficiency with ferritin under 500 and TSAT under 30%, the goal is to rapidly replenish iron stores. A loading approach that provides about 1000 mg of elemental iron is commonly used to achieve this. Giving 200 mg of IV iron sucrose daily for 5 consecutive days meets that target and is a standard loading regimen, balancing effective replenishment with safety. Why this fits best: it delivers enough iron quickly to move both ferritin and TSAT toward adequate levels, which is important in correcting deficiency. Other schedules either don’t provide enough total iron (a single 200 mg dose or 400 mg total) or risk too much iron (2000 mg total), making them less suitable as an initial loading plan.

When a new patient shows iron deficiency with ferritin under 500 and TSAT under 30%, the goal is to rapidly replenish iron stores. A loading approach that provides about 1000 mg of elemental iron is commonly used to achieve this. Giving 200 mg of IV iron sucrose daily for 5 consecutive days meets that target and is a standard loading regimen, balancing effective replenishment with safety.

Why this fits best: it delivers enough iron quickly to move both ferritin and TSAT toward adequate levels, which is important in correcting deficiency. Other schedules either don’t provide enough total iron (a single 200 mg dose or 400 mg total) or risk too much iron (2000 mg total), making them less suitable as an initial loading plan.