title: Comparative response to single or divided doses of parenteral iron for functional iron deficiency in hemodialysis patients receiving erythropoietin (EPO).
abstract: EPO treatment rapidly corrects anemia in patients with end-stage renal failure treated with hemodialysis, as long as sufficient iron is available. Absolute and relative (to demand) iron deficiency blunts the erythropoietic response and parenteral iron is frequently required during the course of therapy to restore EPO efficacy. Since the optimum time course of iron administration to restore EPO response in the short term is unknown, we compared three protocols of i.v. iron dextran administration in apparent functionally iron-deficient HD patients on oral iron therapy (hemoglobin < 10.0 g/dl plus ferritin < 100 micrograms/l and/or transferrin saturation < 20%). Intravenous iron (Imferon; Fisons Pty Ltd.) was given either as a single 600 mg dose (n = 15, Group I) or in divided doses of 100 mg administered on 6 successive dialyses (n = 14, Group II) or weekly for 6 weeks (n = 14, Group III). Response was monitored for 8 weeks. No adverse effects were observed. Collectively, mean hemoglobin increased (p < 0.01) by 0.4-0.5 g/dl plateauing at 4 weeks (between group comparison, p = 0.92). Mean ferritin concentrations changed with time (p < 0.01), peaking at 2 weeks in Groups I and II and at 4 weeks in Group III. Mean transferrin saturation levels also increased during the study (p < 0.001). The between group comparisons for the trends in iron indices were significant (p < 0.01 and 0.05 respectively). As there were no clinically significant differences in hemoglobin response at 4 weeks, single dose iron infusion would seem to be the most expedient in the short term, however frequent small doses are similarly effective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Renal Medicine, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saltissi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sauvage
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Westhuyzen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007505:Iron-Dextran Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D014168:Transferrin; D004921:Erythropoietin; D007505:Iron-Dextran Complex; D005293:Ferritins