[Assessment of reticulocyte hemoglobin content as a guide for iron supplementation in hemodialyzed patients].
BACKGROUND
In literature the reliability of reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) has been recently emphasized to detect "functional" iron deficiency induced by erythropoietin therapy.


METHODS
In the present work the behavior of CHr in 68 uremic patients hemodialysis has been evaluated.


RESULTS
Its values appeared poorly correlated (R2 = 0.32) to the hypochromic erythrocyte percent values, and furthermore CHr sensitivity seemed poor, with pathologic low values detected in three cases only, all characterized by reduced mean corpuscular volume (MCV).


CONCLUSIONS
In the cases personally observed, MCV and CHr are weakly correlated (R2 = 0.15); reticulocyte hemoglobin absolute value in personal opinion does not appear as a reliable index of iron deficiency, being rather dependent on reticulocyte volume.
Servizio Nefrologia e Dialisi, Regione Piemonte, Azienda USL 9, Ivrea.
G M
GM
Bosticardo
F
F
Arnoletti
D
D
Dapiran
P
P
Zola
M
M
Maneglia
U
U
Avalle
F
F
Giacchino
D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012156:Reticulocytes / Q000737:chemistry*
D006454:Hemoglobins; D007501:Iron