Iron Supplementation Shows High Efficacy in Treating RLS in Anemia

Researchers confirmed a “clear benefit” of both oral and intravenous iron supplementation for the treatment of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA), according to an article in Blood Advances.

The study’s lead author, Vanessa Short, PhD, MPH, of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, noted that there was “no statistically significant difference between treatment groups” in this randomized, double-blind, controlled trial comparing oral and intravenous iron.

Treating Restless Leg Syndrome in Iron Deficiency Anemia

The final statistical analysis included 70 patients with RLS and IDA. The researchers evaluated oral ferrous sulfate and ferumoxytol for speed and efficacy of response in treating RLS occurrences. The primary endpoints were the six-week Clinical Global Impression-Improvement score and change from baseline in International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group rating scale score.

According to the authors, both oral and intravenous iron were associated with a marked improvement in RLS symptoms. While there was no statistically significant difference between the groups, “the results unqualifiedly confirm better tolerance of [intravenous] iron compared with oral iron replacement,” Dr. Short and colleagues noted.

“In summary, the results of this trial, the first ever performed in a completely double-blind format, confirm the results of prior studies reporting the clear benefit of iron replacement therapy for the treatment of RLS,” the article concluded.

Reference

Short V, Allen R, Earley CJ, et al. A randomized double-blind pilot study to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of intravenous iron versus oral iron for the treatment of restless legs syndrome in patients with iron deficiency anemia. Am J Hematol. 2024. doi:10.1002/ajh.27290