No longer to be ignored: Hypophosphatemia following intravenous iron administration.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to raise awareness about IV iron-induced hypophosphatemia and its association with metabolic bone disease, particularly in the context of coexisting vitamin D deficiency.
Results Summary
The study highlights that IV iron-induced hypophosphatemia, especially with ferric carboxymaltose, may lead to metabolic bone disease resembling hypophosphatemic rickets, particularly in individuals with vitamin D deficiency or hyperparathyroidism. Early diagnosis and switching IV iron formulations can prevent complications.
Population
Individuals receiving IV iron supplementation, particularly those with iron deficiency anemia, normal kidney function, and coexisting vitamin D deficiency or hyperparathyroidism.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
Coexisting vitamin D deficiency or hyperparathyroidism increases the risk of metabolic bone disease.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Intravenous iron supplementation | decrease | iron deficiency anemia | - | - | is increasingly used to safely and effectively correct | #1 |
some formulations of intravenous iron | increase | a renal phosphate wasting syndrome | - | - | are linked to | #2 |
IV iron | decrease | hypophosphatemia | - | - | induced | #3 |
IV iron induced hypophosphatemia | increase | clinical symptoms | - | - | may be associated with | #4 |
hypophosphatemia | increase | a metabolic bone disease phenotype | - | - | may develop into | #5 |
formulations containing ferric carboxymaltose | increase | this syndrome | - | - | is particularly associated with | #6 |
repeated infusion | increase | this syndrome | - | - | is a risk factor for | #7 |
severity of iron deficiency | increase | this syndrome | - | - | is a risk factor for | #8 |
normal kidney function | increase | this syndrome | - | - | is a risk factor for | #9 |
Coexisting vitamin D deficiency | increase | metabolic bone disease | - | - | increase the risk of | #10 |
hyperparathyroidism | increase | metabolic bone disease | - | - | increase the risk of | #11 |
switching to another IV iron formulation | decrease | complications | - | - | can prevent | #12 |
Intravenous iron supplementation is increasingly used to safely and effectively correct iron deficiency anemia, but some formulations are linked to a renal phosphate wasting syndrome which is mediated by fibroblast growth factor 23. Unawareness among prescribers and the nonspecific clinical symptoms of hypophosphatemia result in underreporting of this complication. Even though it is often an asymptomatic and self-limiting condition, accumulating evidence from case reports and dedicated randomized controlled trials show that IV iron induced hypophosphatemia may be associated with clinical symptoms. If hypophosphatemia is not recognized and treated, a metabolic bone disease phenotype may develop, pathophysiologically reminiscent of hypophosphatemic rickets as seen in X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets or oncogenic osteomalacia. This syndrome is particularly, but not uniquely, associated with formulations containing ferric carboxymaltose, probably due to specific chemical characteristics of its carbohydrate moiety. Risk factors include repeated infusion, severity of iron deficiency, as well as normal kidney function. Coexisting vitamin D deficiency or hyperparathyroidism increase the risk of metabolic bone disease. Complications can be easily prevented by an early diagnosis and switching to another IV iron formulation. In this review, we describe the epidemiology and pathophysiology of this condition, to raise awareness among prescribing clinicians.