Prevalence of Anemia in End Stage Renal Disease Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis

Abstract

Anemia is a significant complication in patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and reduced quality of life, particularly in that undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Objective: To determine the frequency of anemia in ESRD patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study enrolled consecutively all patients aged 18 to 70 years, of both genders, with ESRD on maintenance hemodialysis. Anemia was defined as a hemoglobin concentration below 13.0 g/dl in men and postmenopausal women, and below 12.0 g/dl in other women, based on diagnoses from the last three months. Baseline and predictor variables, including age, gender, duration of ESRD, duration of hemodialysis, and various laboratory parameters (hemoglobin, MCV, serum iron level, serum TIBC level, ferritin level, and Tsf level) were observed. Results: The study included 196 patients, with a mean age of 54.76 ± 10.38 years. Of these, 71 (36.2%) were females and 125 (63.8%) were males. The mean duration of ESRD was 5.71 ± 0.92 months, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was 86.92 ± 13.66, serum iron level was 40.82 ± 5.23, serum total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) level was 220.82 ± 43.13. Anemia was present in 57.7% of patients. Conclusions: This study revealed a significantly higher prevalence of anemia in ESRD patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. These results highlight the significance of managing anemia in these patient population in order to improve outcomes and raise their quality of life.