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5426019 
Journal Article 
The absorption of iron is disturbed in recombinant human erythropoietin-treated peritoneal dialysis patients 
Kooistra, MP; Marx, JJM 
1998 
1 
Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation
ISSN: 0931-0509
EISSN: 1460-2385 
13 
10 
2578-2582 
English 
9794563 
WOS:000076399200032 
BACKGROUND: Intravenous iron supplementation is often necessary in recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO)-treated haemodialysis (HD) patients, but rarely in r-HuEPO-treated peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. This may be due to differences in iron absorption or blood loss.

METHOD: Iron absorption (whole-body counting after ingestion of a radiolabelled iron test dose) and iron metabolism were compared in eight iron-replete rHuEPO-treated PD patients (serum ferritin 100-500 microg/l) and 68 healthy iron-replete controls (sufficient iron in bone marrow specimen).

RESULTS: Mucosal uptake (13.4+/-9.8%), mucosal transfer (0.34+/-0.18) and iron retention (4.9+/-4.0) in PD patients was significantly lower than in controls (42.9+/-18.8%, P < 0.0001, 0.63+/-0.18, P < 0.0001, and 28.0+/-16.7%, P<0.0001).

CONCLUSION: Iron absorption is impaired in PD patients, as we have shown previously for HD patients. One reason for higher iron needs in HD patients may be higher blood losses due to the dialysis procedure and blood sampling for laboratory tests. 
anaemia; erythropoietin; iron absorption; peritoneal dialysis