THE EFFECT OF INTRAVENOUS IRON ON THE RETICULOCYTE RESPONSE TO RECOMBINANT-HUMAN-ERYTHROPOIETIN

We studied the effect of intravenous (i.v.) adminisration of 200 mg of iron sucrose following an i.v. bolus injection of recombinant human e rythropoietin (r-HuEPO: 300 U/kg body weight) in seven subjects and co mpared it with seven subjects treated with r-HuEPO alone. Reticulocyte s, serum erythropoietin (EPO) and ferritin levels were studied at base line and daily for the following 8 d. Use of i.v. iron abolished the m arked reduction in serum ferritin observed with r-HuEPO administration , Although the total number of reticulocytes was not affected by i.v. iron administration, the reticulocyte Hb content and retHb (a measure in g/l of the Hb contained in all reticulocytes) were increased in the i.v. iron/r-HuEPO group compared with the group who received r-HuEPO alone. Therefore i.v. iron significantly potentiates the haemopoietic response to r-HuEPO in normal subjects.