Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
National Institutes of Health
NCATS

COVID-19 is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation.

Get the latest public health information from CDC: https://www.coronavirus.gov (link is external)
Get the latest research information from NIH: https://covid19.nih.gov (link is external)

National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences
1-888-205-2311
Menu Search
1-888-205-2311
Menu
  • Home
  • Diseases expand submenu for Diseases
    • Browse A-Z
    • Find Diseases By Category expand submenu for Find Diseases By Category
      • Autoimmune / Autoinflammatory diseases
      • Bacterial infections
      • Behavioral and mental disorders
      • Blood Diseases
      • Chromosome Disorders
      • Congenital and Genetic Diseases
      • Connective tissue diseases
      • Digestive Diseases
      • Ear, Nose, and Throat Diseases
      • Endocrine Diseases
      • Environmental Diseases
      • Eye diseases
      • Female Reproductive Diseases
      • Fungal infections
      • Heart Diseases
      • Hereditary Cancer Syndromes
      • Immune System Diseases
      • Kidney and Urinary Diseases
      • Lung Diseases
      • Male Reproductive Diseases
      • Metabolic disorders
      • Mouth Diseases
      • Musculoskeletal Diseases
      • Myelodysplastic Syndromes
      • Nervous System Diseases
      • Newborn Screening
      • Nutritional diseases
      • Parasitic diseases
      • Rare Cancers
      • RDCRN
      • Skin Diseases
      • Viral infections
    • List of FDA Orphan Drugs
    • GARD Information Navigator
    • FAQs About Rare Diseases
  • Guides expand submenu for Guides
    • Patients, Families and Friends expand submenu for Patients, Families and Friends
      • How to Find a Disease Specialist
      • Tips for the Undiagnosed
      • Support for Patients and Families
      • Tips for Finding Financial Aid
      • Help with Travel Costs
      • How to Get Involved in Research
      • FAQs About Chromosome Disorders
      • Medical and Science Glossaries
    • Healthcare Professionals expand submenu for Healthcare Professionals
      • Caring for Your Patient with a Rare Disease
      • ICD Coding for Rare Diseases
      • FindZebra Diagnosis Assist Tool
    • Researchers expand submenu for Researchers
      • Finding Funding Opportunities
    • Teachers and Students expand submenu for Teachers and Students
      • Teaching Resources
  • News expand submenu for News
    • In The Spotlight
    • News Archive
    • Connect with GARD
    • Media Requests
  • About GARD expand submenu for About GARD
    • Contact GARD
    • About GARD
    • Videos
    • Brochures and Publications
  • En Español expand submenu for En Español
    • Enfermedades
    • Contacte GARD
    • Guías de Información expand submenu for Guías de Información
      • Preguntas Más Frecuentes Sobre Enfermedades Raras
      • Como Encontrar un Especialista en su Enfermedad
      • Consejos Para una Condición no Diagnosticada
      • Consejos Para Pacientes y Familias
      • Consejos Para Obtener Ayuda Financiera Para Una Enfermedad
      • Participe en Estudios de Investigación
      • Preguntas Más Frecuentes Sobre los Trastornos Cromosómicos
    • Sobre GARD
  • Home
© Positive Exposure
banner showing people with disabilities and/or their relatives
  1. Home
  2. Diseases
  3. Iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia
print
  • Table of Contents expand submenu for Table of Contents
    • Summary
    • Symptoms
    • Diagnosis
    • Treatment
    • Find a Specialist
    • Prognosis
    • Research
    • Living With
    • Learn More
    • GARD Answers
  • Browse A-Z
  • Find Diseases By Category expand submenu for Find Diseases By Category
    • Autoimmune / Autoinflammatory diseases
    • Bacterial infections
    • Behavioral and mental disorders
    • Blood Diseases
    • Chromosome Disorders
    • Congenital and Genetic Diseases
    • Connective tissue diseases
    • Digestive Diseases
    • Ear, Nose, and Throat Diseases
    • Endocrine Diseases
    • Environmental Diseases
    • Eye diseases
    • Female Reproductive Diseases
    • Fungal infections
    • Heart Diseases
    • Hereditary Cancer Syndromes
    • Immune System Diseases
    • Kidney and Urinary Diseases
    • Lung Diseases
    • Male Reproductive Diseases
    • Metabolic disorders
    • Mouth Diseases
    • Musculoskeletal Diseases
    • Myelodysplastic Syndromes
    • Nervous System Diseases
    • Newborn Screening
    • Nutritional diseases
    • Parasitic diseases
    • Rare Cancers
    • RDCRN
    • Skin Diseases
    • Viral infections
  • List of FDA Orphan Drugs
  • GARD Information Navigator
  • FAQs About Rare Diseases

Iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia


Back to List of Questions

Question Question


Listen
I am interested in treatment and prognosis of this disorder and would appreciate any information you can provide.

Answer Answer


Listen

The following information may help to address your question:

  • How might iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia be treated?
  • What is the long-term outlook for people with iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia?

How might iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia be treated?

Children with iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia (IRIDA) usually do not respond to oral iron therapy. However, some children with IRIDA may partially respond to high doses of oral iron, prolonged oral iron therapy, or oral iron therapy combined with vitamin C. Medical researchers suggest the different responses to iron therapies may be linked to the exact change or mutation in the TMPRSS6 gene causing IRIDA.[1][2]

Current treatment guidelines recommend an initial trial of oral iron along with vitamin C for several weeks to see if the anemia improves. If there is no improvement or minimal improvement, further treatment involves intravenous (IV) iron therapy. Even with IV therapy, only a partial improvement is expected.[1][2] However in most cases, partial improvement of mild to moderate anemia results in enough healthy red blood cells to provide all of the body with oxygen.[1] In addition, although only a few people with IRIDA have been followed into adulthood, red blood cell levels have been found to increase to low normal levels, suggesting treatment of adults with IRIDA may not be needed.[1][2]
Last updated: 11/27/2017

What is the long-term outlook for people with iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia?

Children with IRIDA typically have normal growth and development.[3][4][1][2] While information regarding the long-term effects of IRIDA are limited, in general, signs and symptoms of IRIDA appear to improve with age.[1][2]
Last updated: 11/27/2017

We hope this information is helpful. We strongly recommend you discuss this information with your doctor. If you still have questions, please contact us.

Warm regards,
GARD Information Specialist

Please see our Disclaimer.

References References


  1. Bhatia P, Jain R, Singh A. A structured approach to iron refractory iron deficiency anemia (IRIDA) diagnosis (SAID): The more is “SAID” about iron, the less it is. Pediatric Hematology Oncology Journal. August, 2017; 2(2):48-53. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468124517301055.
  2. Keskin EY and Yenicesu I. Iron-Refractory Iron Deficiency Anemia. Turk J Haematol. March, 2015; 32(1):1-14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4439901/.
  3. Iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia. Genetics Home Reference (GHR). July, 2014; https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/iron-refractory-iron-deficiency-anemia.
  4. Sanchez Fernandez M. IRIDA syndrome. Orphanet. May, 2013; http://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/OC_Exp.php?lng=en&Expert=209981.

Share this content:

Share this content:

twitter-icon facebook-icon contact-icon link-icons

Copy Link

Link copied to your clipboard.

printer-icon

You May Be Interested In

How to Find a Disease Specialist

How to Find a Disease Specialist

Tips for the Undiagnosed

Tips for the Undiagnosed

Support for Patients and Families

Support for Patients and Families

Tips for Finding Financial Aid

Tips for Finding Financial Aid

Help with Travel Costs

Help with Travel Costs

How to Get Involved in Research

How to Get Involved in Research

FAQs About Chromosome Disorders

FAQs About Chromosome Disorders

Medical and Science Glossaries

Medical and Science Glossaries

Caring for Your Patient with a Rare Disease

Caring for Your Patient with a Rare Disease

ICD Coding for Rare Diseases

ICD Coding for Rare Diseases

FindZebra Diagnosis Assist Tool

FindZebra Diagnosis Assist Tool

Finding Funding Opportunities

Finding Funding Opportunities

Teaching Resources

Teaching Resources

placeholder for the horizontal scroll slider Back to top
GARD Home NCATS Home Site Map Browse Glossary A-Z Privacy Notice Disclaimer Accessibility FOIA OIG

If you have problems viewing PDF files, download the latest version of Adobe Reader

For language access assistance, contact the NCATS Public Information Officer

Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD) - PO Box 8126, Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126 - Toll-free: 1-888-205-2311

contact gard Office of Rare Disease Research Facebook Page Office of Rare Disease Research on Twitter
Listen