Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
The most commonly reported adverse reactions (≥10%) in adult patients were nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea, injection site reaction, hypotension, cramps, hypertension, dizziness, abnormal erythrocytes (e.g., changes in morphology, color, or number of red blood cells), dyspnea, chest pain, leg cramps and pain. In patients 6 to 15 years of age the most common adverse reactions (≥10%) were hypotension, headache, hypertension, tachycardia and vomiting.
Studies A and B
In multiple dose Studies A and B (total 126 adult patients), the most frequent treatment emergent adverse reactions following sodium ferric gluconate complex in sucrose injection were:
Body as a Whole: injection site reaction (33%), chest pain (10%), pain (10%), asthenia (7%), headache (7%), fatigue (6%), fever (5%), malaise, infection, abscess, chills, rigors, carcinoma, flu-like syndrome, sepsis, light-headedness, weakness.
Nervous System: cramps (25%), dizziness (13%), paresthesias (6%), agitation, somnolence, decreased level of consciousness.
Respiratory System: dyspnea (11%), coughing (6%), upper respiratory infections (6%), rhinitis, pneumonia.
Cardiovascular System: hypotension (29%), hypertension (13%), syncope (6%), tachycardia (5%), bradycardia, vasodilatation, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, pulmonary edema.
Gastrointestinal System: nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea (35%), anorexia, abdominal pain (6%), rectal disorder, dyspepsia, eructation, flatulence, gastrointestinal disorder, melena.
Musculoskeletal System: leg cramps (10%), myalgia, arthralgia, back pain, arm pain.
Skin and Appendages: pruritus (6%), rash, increased sweating.
Genitourinary System: urinary tract infection, and menorrahagia.
Special Senses: conjunctivitis, rolling of the eyes, watery eyes, puffy eye lids, arcus senilis, redness of the eye, diplopia, and deafness.
Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders: hyperkalemia (6%), generalized edema (5%), leg edema, peripheral edema, hypoglycemia, edema, hypervolemia, hypokalemia.
Hematologic System: abnormal erythrocytes (11%) (changes in morphology, color, or number of red blood cells), anemia, leukocytosis, lymphadenopathy.
Study C – Pediatric
Pediatric Patients: In a clinical trial of 66 iron-deficient pediatric hemodialysis patients, 6 to 15 years of age, inclusive, who were receiving a stable erythropoietin dosing regimen, the most common adverse reactions, occurring in ≥5%, regardless of treatment dosage, were: hypotension (35%), headache (24%), hypertension (23%), tachycardia (17%), vomiting (11%), fever (9%), nausea (9%), abdominal pain (9%), pharyngitis (9%), diarrhea (8%), infection (8%), rhinitis (6%), and thrombosis (6%). More patients in the higher dose group (3.0 mg/kg) than in the lower dose group (1.5 mg/kg) experienced the following adverse events: hypotension (41% vs. 28%), tachycardia (21% vs. 13%), fever (15% vs. 3%), headache (29% vs. 19%), abdominal pain (15% vs. 3%), nausea (12% vs. 6%), vomiting (12% vs. 9%), pharyngitis (12% vs. 6%), and rhinitis (9% vs. 3%).