[Excretion of erythropoietin by humans during the production of alkaline or acidic urine (author's transl)].

Marver & Gurney ((1968)Ann.N.Y.Acad.Sci. 149, 570-575) reported that the erythropoietin excretion in two anaemic patients increased 17 and 3.5-fold, respectively, during the production of alkaline urine by the administration of NaHCO3. We have studied the excretion of erythropoietin in 6 persons, following the daily administration of 3.5 g of NH4Cl, which resulted in an average urine pH of 5.9; and following the administration of hexapotassium hexasodium pentacitrate, which increased the urine pH TO 7.5. In the alkaline urine, erythropoietin excretion showed an average, but non-significant, two-fold increase. The increase was significant in only two experimental persons.