Influence of long-term erythropoietin treatment on insulin, glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide, and gastrin secretion in haemodialysed patients.

As already reported short-term rHuEpo treatment influences plasma insulin, glucagon, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), and gastrin secretion in haemodialysed patients. The present study aimed to assess the influence of long-term rHuEpo treatment on secretion of above mentioned hormones. A total of 27 haemodialysed patients and nine healthy subjects were examined. Nine patients with uraemic anaemia were treated with rHuEpo for 12 months (Epo group) while another nine patients did not receive rHuEpo (non-Epo group), but were monitored biochemically and clinically as patients of the Epo group. The third group (HD) comprised nine haemodialysed patients with a haematocrit value of > or = 30% without rHuEpo therapy. In all subjects plasma levels of insulin, glucagon, gastrin, and PP were estimated before and after administration of a test meal. Patients of the Epo group were examined before and after 6 and 12 months of rHuEpo treatment (patients of the Epo group) or clinical monitoring (patients of the non-Epo group) respectively, while only one test was performed in patients of the HD group and healthy subjects. Six months of rHuEpo treatment was followed by an increase of fasting insulinaemia and a decrease of basal plasma level of glucagon and PP. At that time point rHuEpo therapy also increased the response of insulin, glucagon, and gastrin to the test meal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)