Guidelines for correcting anaemia and iron deficiency
Current guidelines for anaemia management in CRAS patients come from the National Kidney Foundation KDOQI™ group and focus on anaemia in CKD.1
National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines from the UK state the need to ensure iron levels are normalised prior to initiating erythropoiesis stimulating agent (ESA) therapy (see figure).2
CHF diagnosis and treatment guidelines recognise anaemia as an independent risk factor for hospital admission and mortality.3 However, there is currently no guidance on how to treat anaemia in CHF.
The international Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) anaemia guidelines are currently being revised by a working group chaired by Dr John McMurray (UK) and Dr Patrick Parfrey (Canada). These new guidelines are expected to be available early in 2012.
NICE treatment and maintenance schedule for anaemia management in CKD (see reference for full details)2
References
1. KDOQI; National Kidney Foundation Am J Kidney Dis 2006;47(suppl 3):S58–70
2. NICE (UK). Anaemia management in people with chronic kidney disease (CG114). February 2011
3. Dickstein K et al. Eur J Heart Fail 2008;10: 933-89
