title: Individualizing anaemia treatment: a discussion of case histories.
abstract: Current guidelines give evidence-based advice on how best to manage anaemia in patients with renal disease, but these guidelines do not consider individual patient needs, so tailoring anaemia management to each patient still remains a challenge for the treating physician. Two case studies are described that illustrate some of the key factors that need to be considered. The first case emphasizes that haemoglobin (Hb) targets recommended in current guidelines may not suit all patients. The patient had been stably maintained on subcutaneous epoetin therapy with an average Hb concentration of >13.0 g/dl because he developed angina symptoms when his Hb level fell to 12.2 g/dl. Iron deficiency was identified as the likely cause of falling Hb in this patient. After the patient's iron supplementation was increased, his Hb level was normalized back to >13.0 g/dl without increasing the epoetin dose, and the angina symptoms were resolved. The second case involved a pre-dialysis patient with diabetes, who required a higher dose of epoetin after beginning concomitant antihypertensive treatment with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Previously, the treatment of renal anaemia in pre-dialysis patients has not been the focus of attention. Two ongoing randomized controlled trials have been designed to study early initiation of epoetin treatment in pre-dialysis patients and will provide much needed information in this area.
authors.affiliation: University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Norman.Muirhead@lhsc.on.ca
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muirhead
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006397:Hematinics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D006397:Hematinics; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa