Professor & Chair Emory University SOM Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Research Objectives: To investigate how many inpatient rehabilitation patients had iron deficiency anemia based on lab values and whether iron supplements were appropriately ordered.
Design: A prospective cohort study in 2023
Setting: Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility
Participants: Inpatient rehabilitation patients
Interventions: Order of Ferritin for iron deficiency
Main Outcome Measures: Ferritin lab levels, Iron deficiency without anemia, Iron deficiency with anemia, normal iron levels
Results: Initially, we found of 1,249 patients, 121 had Ferritin levels ordered. Of these patients, 948 did not have iron deficiency and 128 did not have labs ordered. In the current cohort, 42% did not have Ferritin levels ordered. Of those taking Ferrous Sulfate, 83% were iron deficient without anemia.
Conclusions: The data suggests that iron supplements may not be necessary upon admission and could lead to the development of unnecessary comorbidities.
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