Effect of treatment on physiological responses to exercise in East African industrial workers with iron deficiency anemia

Abstract

The physiological responses to exercise on an upright bicycle ergometer were investigated in groups of anemic (mean Hb = 7.8 g/100 ml) and control (mean Hb = 13.7 g/100 ml) industrial workers before and after treatment with oral iron (Fe 200 mg) tablets, and on a third group of anemic subjects (mean = 7.4 g/100 ml) who received no treatment. Before treatment anemic subjects exercised with an increased cardiac frequency at a field oxygen intake (Vo2) of 1.5 l/min and a marked reduction in predicted maximum aerobic power output when compared to normal controls. The effect of therapy was to reverse these changes so that no significant differences existed between the two treatment groups although both were significantly different from their anemic controls. The pulmonary minute ventilation at a Vo2 of 1.5 l/min and the Vo2 at a work load of 8820 Nm/min (900 kpm/min) were similar in all 3 groups of subjects and remained constant throughout the experimental investigation. The findings carry important implications for those engaged in industrial medicine in developing countries and show clearly that the debilitating effects of iron deficiency anemia can be rapidly eliminated by simple and inexpensive therapy in factory workers without seriously disturbing their normal work routine.