High-dose parenteral iron does not seem to be associated with higher risk of infection , all-cause mortality , increased hospitalization or increased cardiovascular events on analysis of RCTs .
Observational studies show increased risk for all-cause mortality , infections and hospitalizations that were not statistically significant and were associated with significant heterogeneity
Parental iron is used to optimize hemoglobin and enhance erythropoiesis in end-stage renal disease along with erythropoietin-stimulating agents .
Safety of iron has been debated extensively and there is no definite evidence whether parenteral iron increases the risk of infections and mortality .
We performed this meta- analysis to evaluate the incidence of infectious complications , hospitalizations and mortality with use of parenteral iron .
Correction of Uremic Iron Deficiency Anemia in Hemodialyzed Patients: A Prospective Study
This prospect i ve study was design ed to evaluate the eventual correction of anemia and iron status in 39 iron-deficient uremics starting hemodialysis . Nine patients ( control group ) had no iron supplementation  , 10 had oral ferrous iron , and 20 were treated with intravenous iron gluconate . Follow-up periods were 12 months for the control group and 26 months for patients treated with oral or intravenous iron . No patient was treated with erythropoietin . At zero time , all patients were anemic ( Hb < 78 g/l ) and showed signs of severe iron deficiency , diagnosed on the basis of depleted bone marrow iron stores , reduced hemoglobin iron , and transferrin saturation < 21 % . The hemoglobin levels , observed in patients of the control and the oral iron groups at the end of the follow-up periods , were not significantly different from those detected at zero time . In contradistinction , patients treated with intravenous iron showed after 26 months of follow-up a significant increase of blood hemoglobin values , reaching a mean value of 126 g/l . So far , this evidence supports both the concept that iron absorption is compromised in chronic uremics and that the parenteral way is the more effective route for iron replacement in this specific group of patients
High-dose parenteral iron does not seem to be associated with higher risk of infection , all-cause mortality , increased hospitalization or increased cardiovascular events on analysis of RCTs .
Observational studies show increased risk for all-cause mortality , infections and hospitalizations that were not statistically significant and were associated with significant heterogeneity
Parental iron is used to optimize hemoglobin and enhance erythropoiesis in end-stage renal disease along with erythropoietin-stimulating agents .
Safety of iron has been debated extensively and there is no definite evidence whether parenteral iron increases the risk of infections and mortality .
We performed this meta- analysis to evaluate the incidence of infectious complications , hospitalizations and mortality with use of parenteral iron .