Objectives: To determine the interval of intravenous iron administration during maintenance iron therapy in erythropoietin-treated hemodialysis patients.
Material and Method: The method of maintenance intravenous iron therapy has been studied in 20 stable erythropoietin-treated hemodialysis patients who have iron deficiency anemia diagnosed by transferin saturation (TSAT) below 20%.
Results: After receiving 1,000 mg of intravenous iron as the first loading dose, the TSAT was increased from 16.4 + 0.5 to 29.3 + 2.6% (p < 0.05). After 155.6 + 7.3 days, such values was reduced to 16.3 + 1.4% (p < 0.05). The second loading dose was administered and could raise the TSAT to 33.7 + 3.9% (p < 0.05). The patients, then, received 100 mg of intravenous iron for every 15.6 + 2.9 days, one-tenth of the duration between the two loading doses. The values of TSAT at 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 months after the second loading dose were 38.5 + 2.4, 37.1 + 0.2, 34.2 + 3.6, 34.1 + 3.3, 35.3 + 4.1, and 36.5 + 3.1% (NS).
Conclusion: As such, in erythropoietin-treated hemodialysis patients, after loading with 1,000 mg, prescription of 100 mg of intravenous iron for every 2 weeks could maintain the TSAT levels above 20%.

Keywords: Hemodialysis, Iron deficiency anemia, Intravenous iron therapy, TSAT