Effectiveness of once daily oral iron in the elderly.

The response to once daily oral iron was measured in 12 elderly patients with iron-deficiency anaemia over a six-week period. The average haemoglobin response over six weeks was comparable to the results in younger age groups. We concluded that a once daily iron tablet containing 105 mg of elemental iron is as effective as conventional treatment with multiple doses. The increased cost of a once daily tablet should be balanced by the benefits of improvement in drug compliance.