Oral iron is sufficient for erythropoietin treatment of very low birth-weight infants.
The aim of this study was to compare two different doses and means of administration of iron in recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO)-treated very low birth-weight (VLBW) infants. VLBW infants (n = 41) were randomized to one of three groups. Fourteen infants were treated with rHuEPO (300 IU/kg three times a week s.c.) and oral iron (ferrofumarate, 6 mg of iron/kg per day). Another 14 infants received the same erythropoietin dose and intramuscular iron (ferroxypolymaltose, once 12 mg of iron/kg weekly). Thirteen infants were treated with the same dose of intramuscular iron but did not receive rHuEPO. After the 3-week study period, haemoglobin concentrations and reticulocyte counts were similar in the rHuEPO-treated groups and both were higher than in the group not receiving rHuEPO (P < 0.001). In both rHuEPO-treated groups the transferrin receptor concentration increased from 6.8-7.2 mg/l to 10.5-11.3 mg/l.


CONCLUSIONS
In erythropoietin-treated very low birth weight infants the iron need for erythropoiesis can be met by oral administration of iron.
Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Finland.
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Kivivuori
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Virtanen
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Raivio
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Viinikka
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Siimes
D000284:Administration, Oral; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors
D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D007501:Iron; C031621:ferrous fumarate; C013276:teferrol