Iron absorption and blood loss in patients with hiatus hernia.

Iron absorption was measured in 28 patients, 19 of whom were anaemic. The mean absorption in the anaemic patients was 39% and in the non-anaemic patients 8%. Gastrointestinal blood loss was then measured in 26 of these patients. The mean estimated blood loss in the anaemic patients was 15 ml. a day and in the non-anaemic patients 3 ml. a day. In 16 of the 19 anaemic patients symptoms of anaemia were either the sole or the major complaint.