Iron dextran treatment in peritoneal dialysis patients on erythropoietin.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To evaluate maintenance parenteral iron dextran in chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients receiving erythropoietin (rHuEPO).

DESIGN

Parenteral iron dextran was investigated in PD patients with poor response to rHuEPO and/or side effects of oral iron.

SETTING

Tertiary-referral university hospital

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Seven ESRD patients (five males and two females) were studied. A test dose of 25 mg iron dextran was given before starting a maintenance dose. Iron dextran 100 mg was given intramuscular weekly or biweekly. Six patients received rHuEPO and one patient was on decadurabolin.

RESULTS

Hematocrits increased significantly (p < 0.01) from 29 +/- 2% to 38 +/- 2% and serum ferritin increased from 267 +/- 104 to 660 +/- 104 ng/dl after iron dextran. Serum albumin increased from 3.1 +/- 0.3 to 3.6 +/- 0.2 g/dl (p < 0.05). No patient developed an anaphylactic reaction or delayed reaction. Mean duration of parenteral iron dextran treatment was 7 +/- 1 months. Mean dose of erythropoietin was reduced significantly (p < 0.05) from 119 +/- 20 units/kg/week to 87 +/- 20 units/kg/week before and during fifth month of iron dextran therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Weekly/biweekly maintenance intramuscular iron dextran injection was effective and safe iron supplemental therapy in PD patients with poor response or side effects to oral iron.