Abstract: Objective To investigate the status of iron metabolism in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods Seventy-six patients on MHD were involved in this cross-sectional study. The following data were collected: clinic data, serum ferritin and transferrin saturation, hemoglobin, and treatment of iron and erythropoietin preparations. t test and Chi-square test were used for statistical analyses. Results Among the 76 MHD patients, 36 (47.4%) MHD patients had iron deficiency. The prevalence of functional and absolute iron deficiency was 30.3% and 17.1%, respectively. The prevalence of serum ferritin <200ug/L, 200～800 ug/L, and >800ug/L was 22.4%, 52.6% and 25.0%, respectively. Four (21.1%) in 19 MHD patients with serum ferritin >800ug/L had functional iron deficiency. The level of hemoglobin in MHD patients with iron deficiency was (110.2±13.3)g/L, similar to the hemoglobin level of (111.3±10.9)g/L in MHD patients without iron deficiency. But the total EPO dose per week was significantly higher in MHD with iron deficiency than in MHD patients without iron deficiency [(7675.9±2108.9)U vs. (6429.1±1947.3)U, t=2.680, P=0.009]. The prevalence of iron deficiency was significantly lower and the prevalence of serum ferritin >800ug/L was significantly higher, in MHD patients receiving intravenous iron than in MHD patients receiving oral iron preparations. Conclusions The prevalence of iron deficiency in MHD patients was relatively high. The iron deficiency pattern was predominantly functional iron deficiency. The MHD patients with iron deficiency must be treated with higher dose of EPO to maintain their hemoglobin level. Intravenous iron administration was an effective method to reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency, but may result in the increase of serum ferrtin in MHD patients.

Key words: Anemia, Iron