News: Study shows children on dialysis with anemia at increased risk
July 18, 2013
CDI Strategies - Volume 7, Issue 15
Low hemoglobin and the need for erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) indicated an increased risk of mortality for children on dialysis, according to a study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
The five-year study included 1,400 children and adolescents from 30 countries. In 25% of patients, hemoglobin was lower than clinical guidelines recommend; although Europe and North American dialysis programs were higher than those of Asia, Turkey, and some Latin American countries.
"We gained valuable insights regarding the clinical variation of anemia control, ESA dose-response relationships, the factors associated with low and high hemoglobin, and the relationship of hemoglobin control with the survival of children on dialysis," said Franz Schaefer, MD, University of Heidelberg, who led the study in a new brief from Nephrology News & Issues.