OBJECTIVES: Many IDA treatments have not been directly compared in head-to-head clinical trials. One such treatment, Feraccru, is currently indicated in the UK in adults for the treatment of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The objective of this study was to compare Feraccru with other available IDA treatments identified through a systematic literature review (SLR), using a network meta-analysis (NMA).

METHODS: A comprehensive SLR was performed to identify all clinical trials in IBD assessing IDA treatments. 7 treatments were identified and included: Feraccru, placebo, oral iron, ferric carboxymaltose, iron isomaltoside, iron sucrose, and ferumoxytol. Bayesian (“mixed evidence”) NMA was performed using a random effects model in WINBUGS comparing Hgb change in patients treated with Feraccru and other available treatments. Both the 12-week measurement (randomised phase) and 64-week measurement (extension phase) from the Phase III RCT were assessed for Feraccru.

RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study comparing IDA treatments in IBD using a mixed evidence approach. Based on the NMA, Feraccru showed general favourability over the other identified comparators. Results were mainly limited by the lack of informative priors, as well as the small number of studies which prevented adjustment for potential effect-modifying covariates.