Background: Although its efficacy is well known, the high economic cost of erythropoietin (EPO) raises the question of pharmacoeconomics in HD. An optimal Hb level with the lowest dosage of EPO seams to be correlated to the way of administration and an adequate iron supplementation.
Methods: The study evaluates the influence of iron supplementation on the control of EPO-related expenses.
Results: A serum ferritin level higher than 50 pg/ml in hemodialysis patients on chronic EPO therapy turned out to be adequate to keep an optimal Hb level. Our data show that this value, as far as pharmacoeconomic is concerned, is highly underestimated.
Conclusions: A higher i.v. iron supplementation correlates with a significant raise of serum ferritin level and saves on EPO-related expenses up to 1 million/per patient/per year.