Low Dose Intravenous Ascorbic Acid for Erythropoietin-Hyporesponsive Anemia in Diabetic Hemodialysis Patients with Iron Overload

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of the diabetic hemodialysis patients in this study

	Control and post-IVAA group (same patients)
Number	22
Age (years old)	63.6 ± 10.2
Sex (M/F)	10/12
BW (kg)	56.2 ± 10.5
Duration of HD (months)	46.7 ± 33.2
Causes of ESRD: diabetic nephropathy	22

Table 2. Baseline data of diabetic hemodialysis patients in control and IVAA period

	Control period	Post-IVAA period	P
N	22	22	NS
KT/V	1.24±0.24	1.23±0.27	NS
NPCR (gm/kg/day)	1.13±0.05	1.20±0.24	NS
URR (%)	68.9±5.2	67.6±4.9	NS
IPTH (pg/mL)	152.7±60.4	160.4±59.4	NS
Serum Al (ug/L)	18.7±1.9	20.8±2.9	NS
rEPO dose (u/month)	6857.1±7404	6789.5±3960.6	NS
Albumin (g/dL)	3.9±0.6	3.8±0.4	NS
Ca (mg/dL)	8.9±2.8	9.1±0.9	NS
P (mg/dL)	3.9±1.6	4.2±1.5	NS

Figure 1. Evolution of serum ferritin values in control period (−4 months and −1 month) and post-IVAA period (1 month and 4 months). “0”month in X axis mean the IVAA therapy for 8 weeks. *P < 0.05 as compared with previous control period.

Figure 2. Evolution of serum iron values in control period (−4 months and −1 month) and post-IVAA period (1 month and 4 months). “0”month in X axis mean the IVAA therapy for 8 weeks. *P < 0.05 as compared with previous control period.

Figure 3. Evolution of transferrin saturation (TS) in control period (−4 months and −1 month) and post-IVAA period (1 month and 4 months). “0”month in X axis mean the IVAA therapy for 8 weeks. *P < 0.05 as compared with previous control period.

Table 3. Hemoglobulin, hematocrit, and MCV at the beginning, and at the end of study

	Control period	Post-IVAA period
Hb (g/dL)
Initial	8.6 ± 1.3	8.6 ± 1.1
Final	8.7 ± 1.2	8.9 ± 1.2ab
Hct (%)
Initial	26.8 ± 3.8	26.9 ± 3.1
Final	26.9 ± 4.1	28.5 ± 3.0 ab
MCV
Initial	89.9 ± 12.3	90.8 ± 12.3
Final	92.1 ± 14.5	89.9 ± 10.5

^aP < 0.05 finial vs. initial in each group by paired student's test.

^bP < 0.05, between-different periods comparison in each protocol.