Effect of deferoxamine therapy on insulin resistance in end-stage renal disease patients with iron overload.

Cardiovascular diseases are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in subjects on regular hemodialysis. Insulin resistance is associated with increased cardiovascular diseases. Elevated serum ferritin is linked to insulin resistance. The aim of this work is to study the effect of desferoxamine therapy on some of the cardiovascular risk factors such as fasting insulin, B-cell function, insulin resistance, glucose, HbA1c%, lipid profile, blood pressure and carotid intima media thickness (CAIMT). Our study included ten subjects on regular hemodialysis with elevated serum ferritin. We measured the fasting serum glucose, HbA1c%, insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fasting lipid profile, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels and complete blood count (CBC). Statistically significant decreases in fasting serum insulin, B-cell function, glucose, HbA1c% and HOMA-IR were noted after deferoxamine therapy. No statistically significant difference was seen with regard to lipid profile, blood pressure and CAIMT. Iron overload increases insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk in hemodialysis subjects. Correction of anemia by iron therapy should keep target ferritin as per guidelines. Further studies are needed to determine the safest ferritin level among hemodialysis subjects.