[Iron therapy in chronic kidney disease].

Iron deficiency is one of the main causes of anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease, and iron supplements along the erythropoietin constitute the basis of its therapy. Among hemodialysis patients a preferred method of iron supplementation is an intravenous route, but the route of administration of iron to patients with nondialysis CKD raises a lot of controversy. Treatment with oral iron is cheap, does not require vascular access, but of lower efficacy due to insufficient absorption and frequent occurrence of side effects from the gastrointestinal, with discontinuation of therapy. Intravenous iron though effective is associated with the risk of allergic reactions, oxidative stress and the risk of iron overload. Modern oral medications may constitute an alternative to intravenous iron.