Efficacy of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in 398 Patients With Iron Deficiency Anemia Who Lack Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Basrah Experience

Introduction The diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) relies heavily on symptom presentation, and patients lacking typical gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms represent a diagnostic challenge. IDA may be the initial manifestation of underlying pathology. This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of different GI endoscopic studies in patients with IDA who lack GI symptoms. Methods We conducted an observational, multicenter retrospective analysis of 398 asymptomatic IDA patients admitted for GI endoscopic diagnosis from 2006 to 2016. Baseline measurements included hemoglobin, serum ferritin, mean corpuscular volume, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, and transferrin saturation. We analyzed demographic characteristics, duration of hospital stay, the degree of severity of anemia, and endoscopic findings. Results The mean age of the study population was 52±9 years (range, 23 to 85 years), and 53% were men. Most patients were older than 45 years (n=353, 89%) with mild to moderate IDA. Patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD, n=102), colonoscopy (n=271), or bidirectional endoscopy (n=25). The mean hospital stay was 2.72±1.66 days. The most common EGD results were atrophic gastritis (n=31), peptic ulcer (n=25), and negative findings (n=25). The most common colonoscopic results were negative findings (n=118), nonspecific colonic inflammatory changes (n=117), and non-bleeding hemorrhoids (n=29). We found no significant association between any endoscopic findings and age, gender, the severity of anemia, and length of hospitalization. Conclusions The presence of symptoms is of limited value in guiding diagnostic procedures concerning GI etiologies. Asymptomatic patients with IDA patients should receive an endoscopic examination irrespective of iron parameters, age, or gender for potentially treatable pathologies, especially for patients with suspected malignancies.