The effect of Intravenous and Oral Ascorbic Acid Consumption on Anemia in Hemodialysis Patients

anemia is one of the main problems of chronic renal failure patients undergone Hemodialysis and erythropoietin is not effective for these patients. Since Vitamin C deficiency in Hemodialysis patients is common، this study was performed to compare the effect of intravenous and oral ascorbic acid consumption on anemia in Hemodialysis patients. this clinical trial was conducted on 75 patients، selected via convenience sampling and including criteria (hemoglobin، 11mg/dl; ferritin، 100ug/L; transferring saturation، < 20%). The subjects were randomly assigned to three equal groups of control، oral ascorbic acid (POAA) and intravenous ascorbic acid (IVAA) After each every-other-day dialysis performed for eight weeks، the patients of IVAA group were given 300mg intravenous vitamin C and the ones of POAA group given 500mg vitamin C orally. The Plasma iron with chemical method، total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) and ferritin level with indirect method، hemoglobin with cell counter and transferring saturation (TSAT) with related formula were measured. Using a checklist، the data of demographic، laboratory results and side effects were recorded and analyzed by SPSS-13، using ANOVA and scheffe post-hoc test (p≤ 0. 05). the baseline hemoglobin، serum iron، ferritin، TIBC and TSAT in three groups were not different significantly. After intervention، the hemoglobin level of IVAA group (20. 1g/dl) and in POAA group (0. 99g/dl) were increased compared to control group (P>0. 001). the mean of hemoglobin in IVAA was significantly more than POAA (P>0. 05). based on the results، the use of oral and intravenous vitamin C can be effective in the anemia caused by iron deficiency، especially vitamin C injection that is more beneficial.