ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the effect of oral and intravenous supplements of Iron on complete blood count and plasma iron in patients of chronic renal failure who are already on rHuEPO.

Study Design: Comparative prospective interventional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics of LUMHS Jamshoro in collaboration to Department of Urology at Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) Jamshoro/Hyderabad from 1st April 2016 to 30th September 2016.

Methodology: Eighty patients were included and divided into two groups. Group A patients were given tablet ferrous sulphate 200 mg orally 3 times/day and rHuEPO 2000Internaational Units Subcutaneously twice/week and Group B patients were administered Inj. Iron Dextran I/V 2ml diluted in 200ml N/S twice/month and rHuEPO2000 International Units Subcutaneously twice/week. Serum iron levels were checked both in the beginning and end of study. Complete blood count was done on monthly interval for 6 months.

Results: The hemoglobin level in group A was 6.73± 0.20 g/dl and in B Group was 6.63±0.19 g/dL. The reticulocyte counts was 0.59± 0.05 % in group A while in group B, 0.72±0.06 % and showed that group B subjects showing considerable increase in comparison to group A subjects. In group A, mean serum Fe++ was 76.38±1.68 μg/dl and in group B was 73.28±1.72 μg/dl (P=0.20) and both groups A and B have significant rise in serum Fe++ levels.

Conclusion: The combination of intravenous iron and erythropoietin (rHuEPO) therapy significantly improved the complete blood count parameters and serum iron levels in chronic renal failure patients of Group B.

Key Words: Chronic kidney disease (CKD), Serum iron, Anemia, Complete blood count (CBC), Chronic renal failure (CRF), Human recombinant erythropoietin (rHuEPO)