Anaemia of renal failure: Differences between continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis

A cross-sectional study was performed to assess a series of parameters, esp ecially those related to iron status, that may account for differences in t he anaemia of patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialys is (CAPD) and haemodialysis (HD), Patients on CAPD (n=37) and on haemodialy sis (n=27) were selected on the basis of clinical stability and absence of factors that may interfere with iron metabolism. Parameters measured includ ed routine haematological and biochemical profile; serum iron metabolism (s erum iron, transferrin saturation capacity, transferrin saturation index, s erum ferritin); erythrocyte ferritin; bone marrow erythroid components and semiqualitative analysis of iron deposits in the bone marrow. The CAPD pati ents showed higher levels of haemoglobin and transferrin saturation capacit y as well as lower serum ferritin than patients on haemodialysis, in the bo ne marrow, CAPD patients had a higher percentage of red blood cells and in those with low iron-containing macrophages a higher percentage of siderobla sts than the haemodialysis group. Erythrocyte ferritin levels were similar in both groups. These data suggest more efficient iron metabolism in CAPD p atients than in patients on haemodialysis.