Low-dose intravenous iron administration in chronic hemodialysis patients treated with recombinant human erythropoietin

• Published in: Renal failure Vol. 24; no. 2; p. 245
• Main Authors: Harmankaya, Ozlem, Eran, Akif
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-01-2002
• Subjects: Aged; Anemia - blood; Anemia - etiology; Anemia - prevention & control; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Erythropoietin - administration & dosage; Erythropoietin - blood; Erythropoietin - therapeutic use; Female; Ferric Compounds - administration & dosage; Ferric Compounds - blood; Ferric Compounds - therapeutic use; Ferric Oxide, Saccharated; Glucaric Acid; Hematinics - administration & dosage; Hematinics - blood; Hematinics - therapeutic use; Humans; Infusions, Intravenous; Kidney Failure, Chronic - blood; Kidney Failure, Chronic - therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Recombinant Proteins; Renal Dialysis - adverse effects
• ISSN: 0886-022X
• DOI: 10.1081/JDI-120004103

We conducted a prospective study to determine the effect of intravenous low-dose iron administration in chronic hemodialysis patients treated with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO). Sixteen hemodialysis patients (8 males and 8 females; mean age 63.1+/-9.8 years) on maintenance rHuEPO therapy were included in the study. Patients with <100 ng/ml of ferritin received 50 mg iron during every hemodialysis session. Patients with 100-200 ng/ml of ferritin were given 50 mg iron fortnightly. Iron was not supplemented in patients with ferritin levels >200 ng/ml. Mean hematocrit, serum iron levels and transferrin saturations were significantly higher at 6 and 12 months. There was a significant reduction in weekly rHuEPO doses between the start and the 6th and 12th months. Our study shows intravenous iron administration of 100 mg/month may be sufficient to achieve a satisfactory iron status in dialysis patients on maintenance rHuEPO therapy.