[Renal involvement in glycogen storage disease type 1: Practical issues]

Successful Treatment of Refractory Anemia in a Patient With Glycogen Storage Disease Type Ia Undergoing Hemodialysis

Glycogen storage disease type Ⅰa (GSDIa), also known as von Gierke disease, is a rare inherited metabolic disorder caused by defective glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase) activity. Although anemia, renal failure, and hepatic adenoma are the major clinical manifestations of GSDIa, there has been no report of refractory anemia in GSDIa patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) concomitant with multiple liver adenomas. Herein, we present a case of refractory anemia in a patient with GSDIa undergoing HD with multiple hepatic adenomas, successfully managed through aggressive treatment for renal anemia and intravenous iron therapy (IIT).

A 26-year-old man with GSDIa who had been on HD for a year suffered from refractory anemia. He had experienced hypoglycemia and hyperlactic acidemia repeatedly and unusual hypertriglyceridemia had been observed for a long time. In addition, multiple hepatic adenomas developed and his renal function gradually declined, eventually progressing to end-stage kidney disease, and HD was started. Despite 120 µg/week of darbepoetin alfa (DA), 200 mg/day of oral sodium ferrous citrate, and 600 mg/week of roxadustat, the anemia persisted and iron deficiency gradually progressed. We considered that renal anemia, blood loss by each HD session, and decreased intestinal iron absorption due to inappropriately increased hepcidin from hepatic adenomas were the main etiology of the anemia; hence, we changed oral sodium ferrous citrate to intravenous saccharated ferric oxide along with continuous aggressive treatment of renal anemia, and the anemia resolved quickly within three months.

We believe that refractory anemia was mainly induced by renal anemia and chronic iron deficiency due to blood loss during HD and inappropriately elevated hepcidin levels in hepatic adenomas. Aggressive treatment of renal anemia, along with IIT, may be a promising treatment option. Strict monitoring of iron overload is essential for safe treatment.