Cochrane · systematic review · CD009218

Intermittent iron supplementation for reducing anaemia and its associated impairments in adolescent and adult menstruating women

Fernández-Gaxiola, AC, De-Regil, LM · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2019 · Cochrane Library

SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
14
current version
GRADE rated
12
No studies
0
Included studies
NR
No studies 0 · 0%Ungraded 2 · 14.3%Very low 1 · 7.1%Low 8 · 57.1%Moderate 3 · 21.4%High 0 · 0%

Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.

Questions and results

Show all 2 versions

Intermittent iron supplementation (alone or with any other micronutrients) versus no supplementation or placebo in menstruating women

Population: adolescent and adult menstruating women
7 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Anaemia (haemoglobin concentration below a cut‐off defined by the trialists, adjusted by altitude and smoking as appropriate)
Intermittent iron supplementation (alone or with any other micronutrients) vs no supplementation or placebo
RR 0.65 [0.49, 0.87]11 studies · 3135 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, inconsistency
Haemoglobin (g/L)
Intermittent iron supplementation (alone or with any other micronutrients) vs no supplementation or placebo
no estimate extracted15 studies · 2886 participantsModerate
Downgraded: inconsistency
Iron deficiency (as defined by trialists by using indicators of iron status such as ferritin or transferrin)
Intermittent iron supplementation (alone or with any other micronutrients) vs no supplementation or placebo
RR 0.5 [0.24, 1.04]3 studies · 624 participantsLow
Downgraded: imprecision, inconsistency
Ferritin (µg/L)
Intermittent iron supplementation (alone or with any other micronutrients) vs no supplementation or placebo
no estimate extracted7 studies · 1067 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision
Iron deficiency anaemia (as defined by the presence of anaemia plus iron deficiency diagnosed with an indicator of iron status selected by the trialists)
Intermittent iron supplementation (alone or with any other micronutrients) vs no supplementation or placebo
RR 0.07 [0, 1.16]1 study · 97 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision
All‐cause morbidity (the most frequent event associated with the intervention, independent of the cause, as defined by the trialists)
Intermittent iron supplementation (alone or with any other micronutrients) vs no supplementation or placebo
RR 1.12 [0.82, 1.52]1 study · 119 participantsLow
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision
Any adverse side effects
Intermittent iron supplementation (alone or with any other micronutrients) vs no supplementation or placebo
RR 1.98 [0.31, 12.72]3 studies · 630 participantsModerate
Downgraded: inconsistency

Intermittent iron supplementation versus daily iron supplementation in menstruating women

Population: adolescent and adult menstruating women
7 questions
OutcomeEffectEvidenceStatus / GRADE
Anaemia (haemoglobin concentration below a cut‐off defined by the trialists, adjusted by altitude and smoking as appropriate)
Intermittent iron supplementation vs daily iron supplementation
RR 1.09 [0.93, 1.29]8 studies · 1749 participantsModerate
Downgraded: risk of bias
Haemoglobin (g/L)
Intermittent iron supplementation vs daily iron supplementation
no estimate extracted10 studies · 2127 participantsLow
Downgraded: inconsistency
Iron deficiency (as defined by the trialists using indicators of iron status such as ferritin or transferrin)
Intermittent iron supplementation vs daily iron supplementation
RR 4.3 [0.56, 33.2]1 study · 198 participantsVery low
Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision
Ferritin (µg/L)
Intermittent iron supplementation vs daily iron supplementation
no estimate extracted4 studies · 988 participantsLow
Downgraded: inconsistency
Iron deficiency anaemia (as defined by the presence of anaemia plus iron deficiency, diagnosed with an indicator of iron status selected by the trialists)
Intermittent iron supplementation vs daily iron supplementation
no estimate extracted0 studies · 0 participantsUngraded
All‐cause morbidity (the most frequent event associated with the intervention, independent of the cause, as defined by the trialists)
Intermittent iron supplementation vs daily iron supplementation
no estimate extracted0 studies · 0 participantsUngraded
Any adverse side effects
Intermittent iron supplementation vs daily iron supplementation
RR 0.41 [0.21, 0.82]6 studies · 1166 participantsLow
Downgraded: inconsistency