Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Iron Therapy for Functional Iron Deficiency Anemia in Hemodialysis Patients: A Meta-Analysis

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Studies on benefits of intravenous iron therapy among hemodialysis patients with functional iron deficiency anemia have shown conflicting results. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of intravenous iron in this subset of patients. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We searched MEDLINE (through December 2012), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and ClinicalTrials.gov for single-arm studies and randomized controlled trials (RCT) that examined the effect of intravenous iron for functional iron deficiency anemia in hemodialysis patients on anemia parameters and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation. Studies of absolute iron deficiency were excluded. Random-effect model meta-analyses were used to compute changes in outcomes of interest. <b><i>Results:</i></b> We identified 34 studies (2,658 patients), representing 24 single-arm studies, and 10 parallel-arm RCT. In the analyses of the study arms, intravenous iron therapy resulted in a significant increase in hemoglobin, serum ferritin, transferrin saturation rate, serum iron, reticulocyte hemoglobin content as well as a significant decrease in the percentage of hypochromic erythrocytes and erythropoietin dose. There were significant increases in plasma malonyldialdehyde level and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, and a decrease in neutrophil respiratory burst. The analyses of the RCT revealed less robust net changes in these parameters, and there was no increased risk of adverse events including infections, cardiac events and mortality. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Intravenous iron therapy for functional iron deficiency anemia in hemodialysis patients improves anemia parameters but exerts some effects on markers of oxidative stress that are of unclear clinical significance. The long-term safety and efficacy of this treatment strategy requires further study.