Management of anaemia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease – results of a questionnaire among Polish healthcare professionals

INTRODUCTION: Anaemia is the most common systemic and extraintestinal complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Its impact on quality of life is significant; hence, it is important for healthcare professionals to manage it correctly. AIM: To assess the knowledge among doctors about the diagnostics and treatment of anaemia in IBD patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The questionnaire survey was conducted among 169 doctors of different specialties. Eighty-seven (51.5%) of the respondents were gastroenterologists. RESULTS: 97.7% (84) of gastroenterologists and 92.6% (75) of all responders replied that all IBD patients should be monitored for anaemia (p = 0.266); however, only one-third of gastroenterologists knew the exact haemoglobin cut-off level in men with Crohn’s disease. The necessity of monitoring vitamin B(12) was indicated by 53.7% (36) of gastroenterologists and by 24.1 % (13) of other specialists (p = 0.002). Nine percent (6) of gastrologists and 3.7% (2) of other specialists screened for folic acid (p = 0.0431). 13.1% (11) of gastroenterologists and 35% (28) of other specialists frequently used iv iron (p = 0.003). 44.1% (26) of gastroenterologists and 52% (26) of other specialists administered between 1000 mg and 1500 mg of iv iron during hospitalization. Only 11.9 % (7) of GI-specialists and 2% (1) of non-GI-specialists administered total doses over 1500 mg (p = 0.155). 71% (62) of gastroenterologists and 73% (60) of all physicians did not observe any adverse events of iv iron. CONCLUSIONS: Although the diagnostic approach to anaemia in IBD patients varies among respondents, knowledge of guidelines was slightly better among GI-professionals then among other doctors.