Treatment of confirmed B12 deficiency in hemodialysis patients improves Epogen® requirements

Figures & data

Table 1 Pre- versus post-KDQOL-36™ (version 1.3)

	Pre-test	Post-test	Change from pre to post	P-value
Symptom/problem list	76.62 ± 18.60	75.69 ± 19.98	−3.13 ± 14.72	0.688
Effects of kidney disease	52.29 ± 26.08	54.58 ± 26.96	2.29 ± 9.99	0.772
Burden of kidney disease	43.75 ± 31.25	37.50 ± 29.60	−6.25 ± 17.52	0.301
Work status	26.67 ± 32.00	16.67 ± 30.86	−10.00 ± 20.70	0.250
Cognitive function	71.11 ± 28.91	72.44 ± 29.26	1.33 ± 28.75	0.895
Quality of social interaction	70.67 ± 26.04	79.11 ± 18.15	8.44 ± 25.63	0.281
Sexual function	87.50 ± 17.68	100.00 ± 0.00	–	–
Sleep	51.00 ± 23.81	51.33 ± 24.03	0.33 ± 20.81	1.00
Social support	77.78 ± 32.53	77.78 ± 29.99	0.00 ± 39.34	1.00
Dialysis staff encouragement	83.33 ± 15.43	82.50 ± 16.90	−0.83 ± 21.89	0.943
Overall health	54.67 ± 24.46	60.00 ± 27.77	5.33 ± 19.95	1.00
Patient satisfaction	71.11 ± 22.24	62.22 ± 17.21	−8.89 ± 15.26	0.090
Physical functioning	39.33 ± 30.41	37.00 ± 27.37	−2.33 ± 17.10	0.391
Role – physical	28.33 ± 38.81	40.00 ± 40.97	11.67 ± 43.16	0.438
Pain	55.83 ± 36.57	65.83 ± 33.54	10.00 ± 36.29	0.424
General health	36.92 ± 17.97	44.33 ± 24.56	7.42 ± 15.81	0.169
Emotional well-being	68.00 ± 21.43	64.00 ± 20.51	−4.00 ± 23.71	0.858
Role – emotional	35.56 ± 44.48	55.56 ± 46.58	20.00 ± 46.80	0.156
Social function	56.67 ± 29.07	67.50 ± 24.91	10.83 ± 19.40	0.047
Energy/fatigue	40.33 ± 27.48	48.00 ± 17.61	7.67 ± 21.29	0.084
SF-12 physical composite	34.06 ± 8.81	36.12 ± 9.44	2.06 ± 8.63	0.583
SF-12 mental composite	41.88 ± 11.45	44.83 ± 11.18	2.94 ± 9.84	0.358

Abbreviations: KDQOL, Kidney Disease Quality of Life Instrument; SF-12, short form health survey.

Table 2 Parameters variation over time

Patients	June	July	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan
Average
Hb	11.0004	11.1028	11.1662	11.3801	11.2372	11.5596	11.3173	11.433
Hct	34.2002	34.4475	33.9919	35.1682	34.8405	35.5798	35.2231	35.4144
Iron level	57.4028	54.2587	50.3166	57.1152	52.4026	63.7367	58.9734	68.9288
Sat	28.0183	24.9145	23.5426	26.4711	23.5328	30.1345	27.4087	28.7979
Retic Ct	11.7142	11.7768	11.792	12.1741	11.9566	12.461	12.1573	12.3793

Abbreviations: Hb, hemoglobin; Hct, hematocrit; Sat, saturation; Retic Ct, reticulocyte count.

Figure 1 Average decrease in mean erythropoietin alpha dose.

Notes: The average decrease in mean erythropoeitin alpha dose between the losanges (blue), before treatment with vitamin B12 and the squares (red), after treatment with vitamin B12, with the corresponding trendlines.