Low-Dose Maintenance Intravenous Iron Therapy Can Prevent Anemia in Children with End-Stage Renal Disease Undergoing Chronic Hemodialysis

Cahyani Gita Ambarsari; Partini Pudjiastuti Trihono; Agustina Kadaristiana; Dedi Rachmadi; Murti Andriastuti; Henny Adriani Puspitasari; Taralan Tambunan; Sudung Oloan Pardede; Irawan Mangunatmadja; Eka Laksmi Hidayati

doi:10.1155/2020/3067453

Low-Dose Maintenance Intravenous Iron Therapy Can Prevent Anemia in Children with End-Stage Renal Disease Undergoing Chronic Hemodialysis

Int J Nephrol. 2020 Jun 1:2020:3067453. doi: 10.1155/2020/3067453. eCollection 2020.

Affiliations

¹ Pediatric Nephrology Division, Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, URJT Building 5th Floor, Diponegoro 71, Jakarta Pusat 10430, Indonesia.
² Pediatric Nephrology Division, Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Padjadjaran, Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Pasteur 38, Bandung 40161, Indonesia.
³ Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Division, Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, URJT Building 5th Floor, Diponegoro 71, Jakarta Pusat 10430, Indonesia.
⁴ Pediatric Neurology Division, Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, URJT Building 5th Floor, Diponegoro 71, Jakarta Pusat 10430, Indonesia.

Abstract

Iron deficiency anemia is common in children with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on long-term hemodialysis receiving erythropoiesis-stimulating agents. One approach to maintain the iron profile and hemoglobin levels is maintenance therapy with regular low doses of intravenous (IV) iron after initial iron repletion therapy; however, evidence for the benefits of this approach is lacking. This study evaluated the effect of IV iron maintenance therapy on anemia in children on regular hemodialysis. This retrospective cohort study included 41 pediatric ESRD patients with normal hemoglobin and iron status who underwent regular hemodialysis at the Pediatric Dialysis Unit of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Indonesia, between January 2015 and April 2019. Among these, 21 received IV iron maintenance therapy with two doses of 2 mg/kg of IV iron sucrose every 2 weeks (the treatment group) and 20 did not (the comparison group). Changes in hemoglobin and transferrin saturation were assessed after 6 weeks of observation and compared between the two groups. There was a significant reduction in the mean hemoglobin level compared with the baseline level in the comparison group (21 g/L; 95% CI, 9.3-33 g/L; p=0.001) but not in the treatment group (0.7 g/L; 95% CI, -6.6-8 g/L; p=0.84). The risk of anemia was lower in the treatment group (relative risk = 0.42; 95% CI, 0.22-0.79; p=0.003). Although majority of the patients had high baseline ferritin level, this study indicates that in our setting, ferritin may not be a reliable parameter to review the iron status, as it can be affected by chronic inflammation. Hence, the decision to start IV iron maintenance therapy in patients with hyperferritinemia should consider the patient's clinical condition and morbidity. To conclude, the coadministration of IV iron maintenance therapy is beneficial for maintaining hemoglobin levels and preventing anemia in children with ESRD who are undergoing regular hemodialysis, have achieved the target hemoglobin levels, and have normal iron status.