Improvement in the anemia of hemodialyzed patients following subtotal parathyroidectomy. Evidence for the role of secondary hyperparathyroidism in the etiology of the anemia of chronic renal failure.

An increase in the blood hemoglobin concentration was found in four of five patients on chronic hemodialysis following subtotal parathyroidectomy performed for the treatment of incapacitating osteodystrophy. In a sixth hemodialyzed patient, there was a striking increase in the hemoglobin level following treatment with 1alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol with suppressed parathyroid overactivity. It is concluded that surgical or "chemical" parathyroidectomy seems to be associated with improvement of the anemia of patients with chronic renal failure.