Clinical utility of the new parameter, reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (RET-He), in the diagnosis of iron-deficiency in dialysis patients

Abstract

The evaluation of iron status in dialysis patients provides information essential to the planning of adequate rHuEPO treatment. Iron status of the patients can be determined from the recently available measurement of reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent(RET-He). RET-He is measured by automated fluorescent flow cytometry using a polymethine dye, which in the reticulocyte channel, also measures the mean value of the forward light scatter histogram of mature red blood cells and reticulocytes. These values equate with reticulocyte hemoglobin concentration. In this study, to clarify the accuracy of RET-He in diagnosing iron deficiency in dialysis patients, we initially compared RET-He with such iron parameters as serum ferritin levels, transferrin saturation, and concentration of reticulocyte hemoglobin(CHr)which have been established as indicators of functional iron