Table 1 Characteristics of the included trials

Patient population

Age > 65 undergoing hip fracture surgery

Adults undergoing living-donor or deceased-donor kidney transplantation

Age > 65 requiring hip fracture surgery with Hb levels between 90 and 120 g/L

Country

Spain

Australia

Spain

No. of centres

1

1

13

No. of patients randomised

200

102

303

Intervention

600 mg of IV iron sucrose (Venofer) in three doses of 200 mg at 48-h intervals

- First dose always administered before surgery

500 mg of IV iron polymatose on the 4th postoperative day

3 arms

• EPOFE—subcutaneous single dose of EPO 40,000 IU and 1000 mg of IV ferric carboxymaltose

• FE—1000 mg of IV ferric carboxymaltose and subcutaneous placebo (saline)

Comparator

Usual care

210 mg of oral slow release ferrous sulfate daily until primary endpoint was reached

Subcutaneous single dose placebo and IV placebo (saline)

Primary outcome(s)

• Number and rate of patients transfused postoperatively in each arm

• Resolution of anaemia defined as haemoglobin concentration more than or equal to 11 g/dL for both men and women

• Percentage of patients who received an RBC transfusion during hospitalisation and after 60 days from hospital discharge

Secondary outcome(s)

• Mean number of RBCs per patient

• Changes in haematinic variables (admission, 24 h and 7 days postoperatively)

• Hospital length of stay

• Infection

• 30-day mortality

• Side-effects

• Gastrointestinal symptoms

• Infusion reactions

• Acute rejection episodes

• Infectious episodes

• Blood transfusion

• ESA administration

• Number of RBC transfusions per patient

• Hb levels 24 and 72 h after surgery, at discharge, and after 60 days

• All-cause mortality

• Adverse events

• HRQoL

• Medical complications—acute coronary disease, stroke, heart failure, VTE, COPD exacerbation, deterioration in renal function, infection, delirium, pressure ulcers