Sideropenic anemia as a manifestation of selective iron malabsorption

The objective of the paper is to draw attention to the not very frequent and thus omitted form of sideropenic anaemia in selective iron malabsorption as the only manifestation of malabsorption syndrome in coeliac sprue. This type should be suspected when examination of blood losses is futile and oral iron administration which is usually administered empirically produces no effect. The authors present the example of two patients with severe sideropenic anaemia where the diagnosis of malabsorption was confirmed only several years after the diagnosis of sideropenic anaemia was established. Evidence of a correct conclusion was permanent normalization of haemoglobin values when the patients adhered to a gluten-free diet.