A New Iron Free Treatment with Oral Fish Cartilage Polysaccharide for Iron Deficiency Chronic Anemia in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: a Pilot Study.
From: Gastroenterology Unit, University of Bologna, S.Orsola Hospital, Via Massarenti, Bologna 9-40138, Italy. belluzzi@aosp.bo.it
World journal of gastroenterology : WJG
- Publish Date: Mar 2007
- ISSN: 1007-9327
- Volume: 13
- Issue: 10
- Pages: 1575-8
- Medium: Print
- Language: English
- Citation (JAMA): Belluzzi Andrea, Roda Giulia, Tonon Francesca, et al. A New Iron Free Treatment with Oral Fish Cartilage Polysaccharide for Iron Deficiency Chronic Anemia in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: a Pilot Study.. World J. Gastroenterol. Mar 2007;13:1575-8
Abstract
AIM: To investigate the effect of a new oral preparation, highly concentrated in fish cartilage, in a group of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) patients with chronic iron deficient anemia. METHODS: In an open label pilot study, we supple-mented a group of 25 patients (11 with Crohn’s disease and 14 with ulcerative colitis) in stable clinical conditions and chronic anemia with a food supplement which does not contain iron but contains a standardized fraction of fish cartilage glycosaminoglycans and a mixture of antioxidants (Captafer Medestea, Turin, Italy). Patients received 500 mg, twice a day during meals, for at least 4 mo. Patients were suggested to maintain their alimentary habit. At time 0 and after 2 and 4 mo, emocrome, sideremia and ferritin were examined. Paired data were analyzed with Student’s t test. RESULTS: Three patients relapsed during the study (2 in the 3rd mo, 1 in the 4th mo), two patients were lost to follow up and two patients dropped out (1 for orticaria, 1 for gastric burning). Of the remaining 18 patients, levels of serum iron started to rapidly increase within the 2nd mo of treatment, P < 0.05), whereas serum ferritin and hemoglobin needed a longer period to significantly improve their serum levels (mo 4) P < 0.05. The product was safe, easy to administer and well tolerated by patients. CONCLUSION: These data suggest a potential new treatment for IBD patients with iron deficiency chronic anemia and warrant further larger controlled studies.
Mesh Headings (Keywords): Adult, Aged, Anemia, Iron-Deficiency, Animals, Cartilage, Chronic Disease, Dietary Supplements, Female, Ferritins, Fishes, Hemoglobins, Humans, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Iron, Male, Middle Aged, Pilot Projects, Polysaccharides
Check for Full Text / PubMed Unique Identifier (PMID): 17461451
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