Vitamin B(6) therapy does not improve hematocrit in hemodialysis patients supplemented with iron and erythropoietin.
OBJECTIVE
Pyridoxine deficiency may be the cause of failure to respond appropriately to iron and erythropoietin (EPO) administration in hemodialysis patients.


METHODS
We studied 36 patients on chronic hemodialysis amply supplemented with iron and EPO, who failed to raise hematocrit levels >33%. Patients were divided into three equal groups and evaluated for 6 months as follows: Group A -- no additional therapy; group B -- supplemented with oral pyridoxine 50 mg/day, and group C received 100 mg/day pyridoxine orally.


RESULTS
In all our patients, erythrocyte pyridoxine levels were initially within reference range for a healthy population and did not vary significantly during the study period. Likewise, ferritin levels and iron saturation values remained normal and constant. Hemoglobin and/or hematocrit levels remained practically unchanged in all three groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that in hemodialysis patients with normal pyridoxine status who, despite appropriate supplementation of iron and EPO, fail to reach optimal hematocrit levels, additional pyridoxine treatment does not produce any hematocrit elevation.
Weissgarten
J
J
Department of Nephrology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Zerifin, Israel.
Modai
D
D
Oz
D
D
Chen Levy
Z
Z
Cohn
M
M
Marcus
O
O
Dishi
V
V
Galperin
E
E
Averbukh
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011736:Pyridoxine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006435:Renal Dialysis
D006454:Hemoglobins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D011736:Pyridoxine