[Influence of chronic renal failure and of its treatment on serum erythropoietin].

BACKGROUND

In order to know the influence of dialysis treatment in erythropoietin production, serum erythropoietin (Ep) has been studied in patients with anemia due to chronic renal failure (CRF).

METHODS

Thirty six of them in hemodialysis (HD), 10 in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and 18 in predialysis stage (PD) and their results were compared to two control groups, including 72 healthy controls (HC) and the second one 89 iron deficiency anemia patients (ID).

RESULTS

Patients had lower Hb and Ep levels than the other groups. Although Ep was higher in CAPD and PD. Ep levels were similar to HC values, and lower than ID levels. It could be demonstrated any correlation between Hb and Ep in CRF patients, however a negative exponential correlation was demonstrated in ID patients between Hb and Ep (r = -0.83; p less than 0.00001). In summary, Ep is higher in CAPD and in PD than in HD, but the levels are lower than they should be expected.

CONCLUSIONS

These data confirm an Ep production failure in most of IRC patients and it seems likely that Ep treatment could be effective to treat the anemia of CRF.