[Assessment of reticulocyte hemoglobin content as a guide for iron supplementation in hemodialyzed patients]
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 9, 2026

A Point-of-Care Method with Integrated Decision Support Tool to Estimate Anemia at Population Level
Published on: January 19, 2024
G M Bosticardo1, F Arnoletti, D Dapiran
1Servizio Nefrologia e Dialisi, Regione Piemonte, Azienda USL 9, Ivrea.
Background:
In literature the reliability of reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) has been recently emphasized to detect "functional" iron deficiency induced by erythropoietin therapy.
Methods:
In the present work the behavior of CHr in 68 uremic patients hemodialysis has been evaluated.
Results:
Its values appeared poorly correlated (R2 = 0.32) to the hypochromic erythrocyte percent values, and furthermore CHr sensitivity seemed poor, with pathologic low values detected in three cases only, all characterized by reduced mean corpuscular volume (MCV).
Conclusions:
In the cases personally observed, MCV and CHr are weakly correlated (R2 = 0.15); reticulocyte hemoglobin absolute value in personal opinion does not appear as a reliable index of iron deficiency, being rather dependent on reticulocyte volume.
Related Concept Videos
Chronic Kidney Disease III: Interprofessional Care
Hemodialysis III: Nursing Management
Disorders of Erythrocytes
Erythrocyte disorders can be broadly categorized into two main types: anemic and polycythemic conditions.
A low oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood due to the loss, lower production, or destruction of erythrocytes is termed anemia. Hemorrhagic anemia, for example, occurs when bleeding from an external wound or internal ulcer reduces erythrocyte counts.
On the other...
Hemodialysis II: Procedure and Complications
Peritoneal Dialysis III: Nursing Management
