Effectiveness of Oral Liposomal Ferric Pyrophosphate in Preventing Iron Deficiency Anemia in Indian Children

Anemia remains a significant issue in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in India, where its prevalence has risen to 67.1%. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) negatively impacts children's cognitive and neurodevelopment, with lasting effects even after treatment. Traditional oral iron supplements often lead to poor adherence and gastrointestinal issues. However, newer formulations like liposomal iron show promise in treating IDA, yet evidence for their preventive efficacy in Indian children is limited.

The researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness, adherence, and side effects of oral liposomal ferric pyrophosphate (LFP) versus ferrous sulfate (FS) as an intermittent preventive measure in children aged 6–59 months. Each group of 40 children received 20 mg of elemental iron twice weekly for 3 months.

The results showed:

• The LFP group exhibited significant improvements in mean hemoglobin (Hb), serum iron, transferrin saturation (TSAT), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and red cell distribution width (RDW).

• Specifically, the LFP group had greater increases in mean Hb (0.76 g/dL vs. 0.16 g/dL for FS) and serum iron (22.93 µg/dL vs. 9.72 µg/dL for FS).

• Additionally, the LFP group reported fewer side effects and better adherence (77% vs. 68.9%).

These results suggested that oral LFP is both effective and safe for preventing IDA in children aged 6–59 months, demonstrating good adherence. Further large-scale, multi-center trials with longer supplementation periods are needed to confirm these findings.

Source: Sharma A, Bellad RM, Charantimath US. Effectiveness and Safety of Liposomal Ferric Pyrophosphate vs. Ferrous Sulfate for Intermittent Iron Prophylaxis in Children Aged 6–59 months: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Indian J Pediatr (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-025-05436-7

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