Anaemia management in cardio renal disease

Anaemia is common in congestive heart failure (CHF) and is associated with increased mortality, morbidity and progressive renal failure. The common causes of the anaemia are the associated renal failure and excessive cytokine production, both of which can cause depression of the erythropoietin (EPO) production in the kidney and depression of EPO response in bone marrow. The cytokines can also induce iron deficiency by increasing hepcidin production from the liver, which both reduces gastrointestinal iron absorption and reduces iron release from iron stores located in the macrophages and hepatocytes. Attempts to control this anaemia will have to consider the use of both erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) as well as oral and, probably more importantly, intravenous (IV) iron. Studies of anaemia in CHF with ESA and oral or IV iron and even with IV iron alone have shown a positive effect on hospitalisation, fatigue and shortness of breath, cardiac and renal function, quality-of-life, exercise capacity and reduced beta natriuretic peptide and have not demonstrated an increase in cardiovascular damage related to therapy. Although some studies and meta-analyses have revealed improvement in these parameters others have not. Adequately powered long-term placebo-controlled studies of ESA and of IV iron in CHF are needed and are currently being carried out.