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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Diana Mansour
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).
© 2020, The Author(s). Introduction: Up to one-third of women of reproductive age experience heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). HMB can give rise to iron deficiency (ID) and, in severe cases, iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). Aim: To review current guidelines for the management of HMB, with regards to screening for anemia, measuring iron levels, and treating ID/IDA with iron replacement therapy and non-iron-based treatments. Methods: The literature was searched for English-language guidelines relating to HMB published between 2010 and 2020, using the PubMed database, web searching, and retrieval of clinical guidelines from professional societies. Results: Overall, 55 guidelines mostly originating from North America and Europe were identified and screened. Twenty-two were included in this review, with the majority (16/22) focusing on guidance to screen women with HMB for anemia. The guidance varied with respect to identifying symptoms, the criteria for testing, and diagnostic hemoglobin levels for ID/IDA. There was inconsistency concerning screening for ID, with 11/22 guidelines providing no recommendations for measurement of iron levels and four contrasting guidelines explicitly advising against initial assessment of iron levels. In terms of treatment, 8/22 guidelines provided guidance on iron therapy, with oral iron administration generally recommended as first-line treatment for ID and/or IDA. Four guidelines recommended intravenous iron administration for severe anemia, in non-responders, or before surgery. Three guidelines provided hemoglobin thresholds for choosing between oral or intravenous iron treatment. Four guidelines discussed the use of transfusion for severe IDA. Conclusion: Many of the guidelines for managing HMB recognize the importance of treating anemia, but there is a lack of consensus in relation to screening for ID and use of iron therapy. Consequently, ID/IDA associated with HMB is likely to be underdiagnosed and undertreated. A consensus guidance, covering all aspects of screening and management of ID/IDA in women with HMB, is needed to optimize health outcomes in these patients.
Author(s): Mansour D, Hofmann A, Gemzell-Danielsson K
Publication type: Review
Publication status: Published
Journal: Advances in Therapy
Year: 2021
Volume: 38
Pages: 201-225
Print publication date: 01/01/2021
Online publication date: 27/11/2020
Acceptance date: 06/11/2020
ISSN (print): 0741-238X
ISSN (electronic): 1865-8652
Publisher: Adis
URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-020-01564-y
DOI: 10.1007/s12325-020-01564-y
