Impact of Vitamin B12 Replacement on Epogen Dosing and Improvement of Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients
Completed · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Vitamin B12 Deficiency
In brief
Vitamin B12 has several important functions in the body, two of which are production of red blood cells and the maintenance of a healthy nervous system. When vitamin B12 is deficient, abnormal red blood cells form. These cells are called megaloblasts. The end result is a decreased number of red blood cells; a condition called anemia. Some symptoms of anemia include fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and pallor. Vitamin B12 is also important in maintaining a healthy nervous system. Nerves are surrounded by an insulating material that helps them conduct impulses. Patients with low B12 levels who receive this vitamin in injection form, state that there quality of life is better. Anemia in Hemodialysis patients is treated with Epogen, a synthetic material which helps your body make blood cells. The investigators believe that if you have a low vitamin B12 level in your blood and the investigators give you the vitamin during dialysis your requirement for epogen will be lower and you will be able to produce blood cells better. When evaluating for Vitamin B12 deficiency a special test is needed called methylmalonic acid level (MMA). This is a blood test that will be performed and when this level is high and your vitamin B12 level is in the low normal range the investigators can make a diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT01876732
- Run by
- Northwell Health
- People needed
- 132
- Starts
- 2009-06-01
- Expected to finish
- 2011-04-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2014-09-08
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 90. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- · Patients on Hemodialysis for at least 6 months
- Patients on stable dose of epogen and iron supplementation for at least 1 month prior to B12 and MMA assay.
You may not qualify if…
- · On B12 treatment
- Hematological Cancer
- Methotrexate use
- Alcohol use greater then 2 drinks per day
- Vegetarian Diet
- Gastric Surgery
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Pernicious Anemia
- Recent transfusion
Where it is running
- Island Rehab — Staten Island, New York, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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