Very low doses of direct intravenous iron in each session as maintenance therapy in hemodialysis patients

Figures & data

Table 1. Summarizes basal parameters at 15 and 30 days of erythropoietic activity in different groups.

Day of determination	Reticulocytes (absolute n°×10^3)	Reticulocytes (%)	Hb (g/dL)	Hct (%)	RBC (×10^6)
A: All patients (n = 36)
Basal	49.7 ± 23.8	1.43 ± 0.8	10.5 ± 1.5	33 ± 4.6	3.53 ± 0.6
15	50.7 ± 21.6	1.53 ± 0.8	10.2 ± 1.7*	32 ± 5.2*	3.43 ± 0.6*
30	47.2 ± 17.2	1.39 ± 0.6	10.32 ± 2	32.7 ± 5.3	3.48 ± 0.7
B: Patients that not received the iron prior the study (n = 13)
Basal	52.8 ± 20.3	1.55 ± 0.7	10 ± 1.5	31.3 ± 5.3	3.40 ± 0.6
15	56.5 ± 17.5	1.69 ± 0.5	9.70 ± 1.7	30.4 ± 5.8	3.32 ± 0.7
30	53.1 ± 19.3	1.53 ± 0.5	10.1 ± 1.7	31.6 ± 5.8	3.42 ± 0.6
C: Patients that received 100 mg/week of iron prior the study (n = 8)
Basal	50.4 ± 27.6	1.45 ± 0.9	10.6 ± 1.2	33.5 ± 4	3.58 ± 0.5
15	48.9 ± 22.1	1.43 ± 0.7	10.4 ± 1.4	32.6 ± 4.5	3.50 ± 0.6
30	45.5 ± 16.3	1.26 ± 0.5	10.4 ± 2.1	33.7 ± 4.4	3.61 ± 0.6
D: Patients that received 100 mg/every other week (n = 9)
Basal	41.2 ± 14.3	1.2 ± 0.5	10.7 ± 1.5	33.7 ± 4.9	3.49 ± 0.6
15	40.6 ± 14.7	1.2 ± 0.5	10.4 ± 1.7	32.4 ± 5.1	3.35 ± 0.6
30	38.3 ± 16.7	1.06 ± 0.4	11 ± 1.6	34.2 ± 5.1	3.56 ± 0.6
E: Patients that received 100 mg/once a month (n = 6)
Basal	39.6 ± 18.7	1.04 ± 0.4	11.7 ± 1.6	35.7 ± 4.1	3.78 ± 0.6
15	46.7 ± 14.5	1.25 ± 0.2	11.3 ± 1.9	34.7 ± 5.3	3.68 ± 0.7
30	44.8 ± 10,4	1.31 ± 0.4	10.9 ± 1.9	33.2 ± 5	3.51 ± 0.6

Abbreviations: Hb: Hemoglobin; Hct: Hematocrit; RBC: Red Blood Cells.

* p < 0.05 with respect to basal values.

Figure 1. The close correlation existing between CHr levels and the commonly used test to evaluate the functional iron (serum iron and TSAT), at the beginning and the end of the study. The CHr levels did not correlate with the serum hepcidin or with the basal CRP. TSAT: Transferrin Saturation; CHr: Content of Hemoglobin Reticulocyte; CRP: C-Reactive Protein.

Table 2. Summarizes basal parameters at 15 and 30 days of functional iron and iron status in different groups.

Day of determination	CHr (pg)	Serum iron (μg/dL)	Serum transferrin (mg/dL)	TSAT (%)	Serum ferritin (ng/dL)	Hepcidin (ng/mL)
A: All patients (n = 36)
Basal	34.8 ± 3.7	52.9 ± 16.1	181 ± 36	24.2 ± 8.6	433 ± 385	63.4 ± 36.4
15	35 ± 3.1
30	34.4 ± 3.5	56.9 ± 21.3	187 ± 38	24.7 ± 9	398 ± 310	65.8 ± 36.4
B: Patients that not received the iron prior the study (n = 13)
Basal	33.7 ± 1.5	49.3 ± 12.6	181 ± 32	21.8 ± 4.4	452 ± 365	62.6 ± 37.6
15	33.7 ± 1.9
30	34.3 ± 3.5	55.9 ± 21.7	186 ± 38	24.7 ± 8.6	391 ± 280	58.8 ± 32.5
C: Patients that received 100 mg/week of iron prior the study (n = 8)
Basal	34.5 ± 4.3	51.3 ± 16.6	186 ± 32	22.9 ± 8	354 ± 420	48.8 ± 35.1
15	34.5 ± 3.6
30	33.6 ± 3.7	52.5 ± 21.1	191 ± 36	22.3 ± 8.4	355 ± 344	60.2 ± 41.8
D: Patients that received 100 mg/every other week (n = 9)
Basal	36.5 ± 2.1	54.3 ± 17.6	195 ± 32	23.1 ± 8.4	327 ± 376	51.1 ± 42.9
15	35.5 ± 3.7
30	34.6 ± 3.2	60 ± 21.3	201 ± 30	24.2 ± 9	370 ± 428	61.4 ± 45.8
E: Patients that received 100 mg/once a month (n = 6)
Basal	36 ± 3,1	60 ± 21.5	182 ± 57	28 ± 12.3	550 ± 337	92.7 ± 25.6
15	36.3 ± 1.8
30	36.2 ± 2.9	75.3 ± 12.2	185 ± 52	34.9 ± 11.7	560 ± 331	92.3 ± 17.9

Abbreviations: CHr: content of hemoglobin reticulocyte; TSAT: saturation transferrin.

Figure 2. An excellent positive correlation between levels of hepcidin and ferritin, and a similar tendency with CRP. It is possible that patients with high levels of hepcidin also have a higher degree of inflammation and therefore lower levels of transferrin, which entitles higher levels of TSAT. CRP: C-Reactive Protein; TSAT: Transferrin Saturation.