Lack of reaction to ferric gluconate in hemodialysis patients with a history of severe reaction to iron dextran

Iron deficiency is the most common cause of a poor response to recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in patients receiving long-term dialysis, who are known to absorb oral iron preparations poorly. This retrospective case series reports our preliminary observation of five patients receiving long-term dialysis in a tertiary care university hospital who had responded poorly to rHuEPO because of iron deficiency. These patients also had a history of severe, potentially life-threatening reaction to intravenous iron dextran preparation, but they tolerated the newly available ferric gluconate complex in sucrose with no untoward effects. These results suggest that the parenteral administration of ferric gluconate can be safe for those who require iron therapy and who have had a severe reaction to iron dextran.