Pedrazzini A
Blood Bank, District Hospital, Locarno, Switzerland.
Acta Haematol. 1992;87 Suppl 1:2-3. doi: 10.1159/000204779.
Erythropoietin (EPO) adjusts the red cell mass to the optimal size in order to satisfy the oxygen requirement of the body. The amount of circulating EPO is regulated by oxygen sensors in the kidney, which control the secretion of EPO through feedback signals. EPO stimulates the erythroid progenitor cells at different levels to develop into mature red blood cells. In anaemia, the serum EPO concentration, which is normally around 15 U/l, can increase 100-fold, or more. Patients with severe renal failure are unable to adapt the production of EPO in response to low haematocrit levels, and anaemia is due to a relative EPO deficiency. Studies have shown that recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) could quickly correct anaemia in chronic renal failure by inducing a dose-dependent rise in haemoglobin and in the haematocrit level. r-HuEPO is now the standard treatment to correct severe anaemia in chronic renal failure. In recent years, r-HuEPO has been tested in other types of anaemia, some of which are fully discussed in this supplement together with various dosage regimens and routes of administration.
促红细胞生成素（EPO）可将红细胞量调节至最佳大小，以满足机体的氧需求。循环中的EPO量由肾脏中的氧传感器调节，这些传感器通过反馈信号控制EPO的分泌。EPO在不同水平刺激红系祖细胞发育成成熟的红细胞。在贫血状态下，正常情况下约为15 U/l的血清EPO浓度可升高100倍甚至更多。严重肾衰竭患者无法根据低血细胞比容水平调整EPO的生成，贫血是由于相对EPO缺乏所致。研究表明，重组人促红细胞生成素（r-HuEPO）可通过使血红蛋白和血细胞比容水平呈剂量依赖性升高，迅速纠正慢性肾衰竭患者的贫血。r-HuEPO现已成为纠正慢性肾衰竭严重贫血的标准治疗方法。近年来，r-HuEPO已在其他类型贫血中进行了试验，本增刊将对其中一些进行全面讨论，并介绍各种给药方案和给药途径。
