ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In the last two decades, the use of erythropoietin for the correction of anemia in hemodialysis patients has been recommended. In Chile, only 10 per cent of hemodialysis patients use erythropoietin, therefore, the correction of iron deficiency must be optimized. AIM: To report the effects of intravenous iron without erythropoietin in the management of anemia in hemodialysis patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 42 patients that received intravenous ferrous sacharate in doses of 100 mg/week during 5 weeks and 100 mg bimonthly during six months. These patients did not receive erythropoietin. RESULTS: Thirty six patients had iron deficiency. Basal ferritin was 137 +/- 22 micrograms/l and increased to 321 +/- 28 micrograms/l after treatment. Packed red cell volume increased from 24 +/- 2 per cent to 29 +/- 3 per cent. No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Iron deficiency is frequent in hemodialyzed patients. Intraveineous iron is safe and effective in the treatment of iron deficiency in these patients.