Comparative Evaluation of Erythropoietin and Darbepoetin in Hemodialysis Patients

Background: An increase or depletion of body iron has harmful effects on health. Apart from iron defi-ciency anemia and iron overload-related organ tissue damage, there are increasing evidences that body iron status is implicated in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of iron deficiency in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods: The prospective, observational, cross secti-onal study included patients with diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke from August 20 th , 2016 to February 20 th , 2017. Detailed history, physical examination and biochemical measurements were recorded. Patients were followed to see for outcome variable such as iron deficiency anemia. Results: One hundred and forty-four (144) patients were included in this study with a male to female ratio of 2.2:1 and a mean age of 67.63 ± 3.103 years. The mean duration of stroke was 12.73 + 6.95 hours. Co-morbidities included diabetes mellitus in 58 (40.3%), hypertension in 72 (50%), hyperlipidemia in 30 (20.8%) and obesity in 44 (30.6%) patients. There were 30 (20.8%) patients with a history of blood transfusion. Iron deficiency anemia was recorded in 15 (10.42%) patients. Conclusion: Our study has revealed the presence of an iron deficiency anemia could be an underlying cause of ischemic stroke in 10.42% of patients requiring the need for assessment of iron profile and subsequently more aggressive management.