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

Abstract

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.