Abstract

Objectives: Our aim is to evaluate the parameters of complete blood count according to transferrin saturation levels in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) frequently develops in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). It is difficult to assess the need of iron in people with chronic illness such as renal failure. Besides, there is a group of patients with high ferritin and low transferring saturation levels.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 202 subjects (F/M: 101/101) selected among 350 patients and hemoglobin concentration between 8-12 g/dL. Patients were divided into two groups according to their transferrin saturation level, <20% and ≥20% and their results were compared.

Results: The mean age of the patients and median duration of hemodialysis were not different between the groups. Levels of mean corpuscular volume (p=0.007), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH; p=0.023) and lymphocytes (p=0.011) were significantly lower, and red cell distribution width (RDW; p=0.033), the RDW/MCH ratio (p=0.000), neutrophils (p=0.001), the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (p=0.006), leucocytes (p=0.002) and platelets (p=0.000) were higher in the transferrin saturation <20% group.

Conclusions: In the case of hemodialysis patients with high to normal serum ferritin concentrations and low transferrin saturation platelet number and the RDW/MCH ratio could assist in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia.