Positive Iron Balance in Chronic Kidney Disease: How Much is Too Much and How to Tell?

2017

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Regulation of body iron occurs at cellular, tissue, and systemic levels. In healthy individuals, iron absorption and losses are minimal, creating a virtually closed system. In the setting of chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis (HD), increased iron losses, reduced iron absorption, and limited iron availability lead to iron deficiency. Intravenous (IV) iron therapy is frequently prescribed to replace lost iron, but determining an individual’s iron balance and stores can be challenging and imprecise, contributing to uncertainty about the long-term safety of IV iron therapy. <b><i>Summary:</i></b> Patients on HD recei…