ferrous-citrate and Chronic-Disease

Controlling serum phosphorus levels in patients with chronic kidney disease is crucial. Since hyperphosphatemia is an established risk factor for not only secondary hyperparathyroidism, but also cardiovascular mortality in these patients, the adequate control of serum phosphorus is necessary. The target levels of serum phosphorus, however, are not consistently being met. To achieve better control of serum phosphorus levels, some novel phosphate binders, which do not contain calcium or metal, have been developed. In this manuscript we discuss some novel phosphate binders, which are now in clinical trials.

Topics: Bile Acids and Salts; Chronic Disease; Citric Acid; Clinical Trials as Topic; Drug Design; Ferrous Compounds; Humans; Hyperphosphatemia; Kidney Diseases; Polyamines; Risk Factors; Sevelamer

Recent studies on iron metabolism have begun to reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying iron absorption, which is dramatically affected in several disorders. In the clinical setting, the ability to determine the status of iron absorption would aid in the diagnosis of pathological conditions. Efforts to develop an oral iron absorption test (OIAT) date back to at least 60 years. However, previous procedures were associated with a number of problems, such as radiation exposure and low reproducibility. In an attempt to resolve these issues, we employed sodium ferrous citrate (SFC), by which the influence of various nutrients and drugs on iron absorption was markedly reduced. We found that OIAT using SFC was simple to perform in both hospitalized patients and outpatients. The increment of serum iron and % transferrin saturation at 120 min after SFC administration was useful in distinguishing iron absorption between healthy volunteers, patients with iron-deficiency anemia, and patients with anemia secondary to chronic disorders, which are respectively characterized by normal, enhanced, and reduced iron absorption. Thus, the SFC-based OIAT may represent a viable screening test for the evaluation of gastrointestinal iron absorption.

Topics: Adult; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency; Blood Chemical Analysis; Chronic Disease; Citric Acid; Female; Ferrous Compounds; Gastrointestinal Tract; Humans; Intestinal Absorption; Iron; Male; Middle Aged; Young Adult