Prevalence and severity of anemia in pediatric hemodialysis patients

OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence and severity of anemia, and to identify independent predictors for anemia in children on hemodialysis. METHODS We conducted this cross sectional study on 25 children aged 7-20 years receiving hemodialysis from September 2005 to January 2006 in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. RESULTS A total of 22 (82%) patients had hemoglobin (Hb) level of 200 pg/mL in 16 patients (66%) and >400 pg/mL in 9 patients (37.5%). There was a reverse correlation between iPTH level >200 pg/mL and Hb level (r=-0.505, p=0.046). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of anemia in our study appears to be higher than that reported in the other studies in spite of extensive use of rHuEPO and iron supplementation. We found this to be especially true for patients who were on dialysis <6 months and with low albumin and severe hyperparathyroidism.