Examining the decay in serum ferritin following intravenous iron infusion: a retrospective cohort analysis of Olympic sport female athletes.

The long-term decay rate of serum ferritin post-iron infusion in athletic populations is currently unknown. Here, we modelled the decay rate of serum ferritin in female athletes after an intravenous iron infusion (n = 22). The post-infusion serum ferritin response and the rate of decay was highly variable between athletes; however, we demonstrate that follow-up blood testing at 1 (154 μg/L; 77-300 μg/L) and 6 months (107 μg/L; 54-208 μg/L) post-infusion is appropriate to observe treatment efficacy and effectiveness. Novelty Female athletes should have serum ferritin assessed at 1 and 6 months following an intravenous iron infusion to determine efficacy and effectiveness.