A comparison of intravenous ascorbic acid versus intravenous iron for functional iron deficiency in hemodialysis patients

The effect of intravenous ascorbic acid was compared with that of intravenous iron in the treatment of functional iron deficiency, as defined as serum ferritin levels over 300ng/ml and serum iron levels below 50μg/dl, in patients on chronic hemodialysis. Thirteen patients on chronic hemodialysis with functional iron deficiency received intravenous injections of ascorbic acid, 100mg, three times a week, after hemodialysis. The therapy was continued until serum ferritin decreased to below 300ng/ml (3 months at the maximum). The iron and control group were composed of patients who had serum iron levels below 50μg/dl within 3 months after serum ferritin rose to over 300ng/ml. Seven patients with the iron group received more than a total of 10 intravenous injections of saccharated ferric oxide (40mg/dose) after hemodialysis, and seven patients with the control group received no iron preparation during the 3 months. In the ascorbic acid group, while hemoglobin did not change from 10.9±0.5g/dl (mean±SE) during the three-month period, serum iron increased significantly from 37±4μg/dl to 49±4μg/dl after one month (p