Current perspectives: iron management during therapy with recombinant human erythropoietin

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) has been associated with clinical and symptomatic improvements as well as improvements in quality of life in patients with anemia of chronic renal failure. However, resistance to rHuEpo therapy, related to insufficient iron stores, occurs often. Although many patients treated with rHuEpo take oral iron, patients continue to develop iron deficiency. Parenteral iron is a safe and effective alternative in replacing iron stores to sustain erythropoiesis in patients treated with rHuEpo.