Clinical practice guidelines for maintaining adequate iron status with intravenous iron dextran in hemodialysis patients.

Abstract

While oral iron can be used to manage iron stores in some hemodialysis patients, most require intravenous iron supplementation. Maintenance of iron balance in these patients is critical, since patients with end stage renal disease often suffer from anemia caused by inadequate production of red blood cells and iron deficiency resulting from chronic blood loss. Using guidelines that include maintenance dosing ensures sustained adequate iron stores and maximizes the effects of rHuEPO therapy. Easy-to-administer clinical practice guidelines for repletion and maintenance of iron stores are presented here.