title: [The treatment of anemia in patients on hemodialysis with recombinant human erythropoietin].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anaemia of chronic renal failure is primarily due to relative erythropoietin deficiency. This hormone has been recently cloned and it is now available for clinical use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients maintained on haemodialysis with non-complicated anaemia and on stable clinical condition were selected for 12 months' treatment with r-HuEPO. Our aim was to analyse the factors influencing r-HuEPO response and the modifications on main haematological and biochemical parameters and adverse reactions occurrence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients responded with an increase of haemoglobin (from 78 +/- 9 to 103 +/- 18 g/dl at second month of therapy, p less than 0.001) and blood transfusions were eliminated. Time of response and doses were very different to one another. R-HuEPO requirements decreased slowly with time. Neither transfusion number, nor hyperparathyroidism, nor ferritin levels, nor diabetic condition influenced r-HuEPO response. Serum ferritin decreased significantly from 1,772 +/- 1,791 to 1,116 +/- 1,240 ng/ml (p less than 0.05), especially in patients without iron overload. Serum vitamin B12 levels did not decrease significantly. Both uric acid and phosporus increased significantly after the treatment period (5.25 +/- 1.18 to 6.29 +/- 0.99 mg/dl and 5.78 +/- 1.29 to 6.69 +/- 1.55 mg/dl respectively, p less than 0.01). Platelet counts did not modify. It was necessary to adjust antihypertensive therapy in a few patients because of a mild rise in blood pressure, although important adverse reactions did not occur.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anaemia of haemodialysis patients improves with r-HuEPO treatment and reduces blood transfusion requirement. Adverse effects are not very remarkable.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Nefrologia, Hospital La Paz, Madrid.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Borrego
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Miguel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zamorano
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bajo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: López-Revuelta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sánchez Sicilia
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin
vernacular_title: Tratamiento de la anemia de los pacientes en hemodiálisis con eritropoyetina humana recombinante.