Ferritin versus ferrous sulphate preparations: a controlled study in sideropaenic patients.

A double-blind study was carried out in 54 patients requiring iron therapy to compare the effects of orally administered bivalent and trivalent iron over a period of 12 weeks. Patients were allocated at random to receive ferrous sulphate (100 mg/day), ferritin (80 mg/day as Fe3+) or a combination of ferritin (80 mg Fe3+/day), folinic acid and vitamin B12 coenzyme. Haematological measurements made before and during treatment showed that, whilst there were significant improvements in all of the parameters studied with both the bivalent and trivalent forms of iron, the results were more progressive and consistent with the two ferritin preparations, indicating that ferritin is clinically effective as a physiological iron donor in sideropaenic conditions.