A guide to diagnosis of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in digestive diseases

Table 1 Causes of iron deficiency anemia

Digestive disorders

Increased losses of iron

Cancer/polyp: colon, stomach, esophagus, small bowel

Peptic ulcer, esophagitis

NSAID use

Inflammatory bowel disease: ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease

Intestinal parasites

Vascular lesions: angiodysplasia, watermelon stomach

Meckel’s diverticulum

Reduced iron absorption

Celiac disease

Bacterial overgrowth

Whipple’s disease

Lymphangiectasia

Gastrectomy (partial and total) and gastric atrophy

Gut resection or bypass

Urological and gynecological disorders

Intravascular hemolysis

Prosthetic valves and cardiac myxomas, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, marathon runners, multiple blood donations

Deficient iron intake