[Iron deficiency anemia refractory to iron preparations].

Most patients with iron deficiency anemia are treated effectively with oral iron preparations. However, a small number of these patients are refractory to such treatments, even when the pathologic condition underlying the anemia is concurrently treated. The pathological basis for this refractoriness can be explained by several factors, including malabsorption of iron, e.g. atrophic gastritis, deficiency of other hematopoietic vitamins or minerals, e.g. vitamin B12 or zinc, other undiagnosed anemic disorders, e.g. renal anemia or hematopoietic diseases, as well as certain hereditary disorders of iron metabolism, e.g. iron refractory iron deficiency anemia (IRIDA) caused by genetic mutation of the TMPRSS6 gene. This review focuses on the diagnosis and pathoetiology of iron deficiency anemia that is refractory to conventional oral iron preparations.