Preventing anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease

How can we prevent anemia in a patient with chronic kidney disease?

Francesco Locatelli: In preventing anemia in a patient with chronic kidney disease it is important to look at the iron deposits. Everyone is looking just for erythropoietin (EPO) deficiency, because EPO is mandatory in correcting anemia in this patient population. But very often because of the patient’s comorbidities, there is also iron deficiency. So by starting from the beginning and giving the patient iron also in the early phases of chronic kidney disease, we can prevent anemia and delay the need for EPO treatment.