How should I investigate someone with iron deficiency anaemia?
• Confirm the diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) if this has not already been done. • It is usually unnecessary to investigate the following groups of people prior to treatment: • Otherwise healthy young people in whom the history clearly suggests a cause (e.g. regular blood donors). • Menstruating young women with no history of gastrointestinal symptoms or family history of colorectal cancer. • Pregnant women — investigations are not usually needed if anaemia develops during pregnancy unless the anaemia is severe, the history and examination suggest an alternative cause of iron deficiency (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease), or there is no response to iron supplementation. • People who are terminally ill or unable to undergo invasive investigations. • People who refuse further investigations. • If there is a poor response to empirical iron treatment, or recurrence of anaemia without an obvious cause, the person should be investigated further. • For other groups of people with ir
