title: [Cerebrovascular incidents in 4 hemodialysis patients treated with erythropoietin].
abstract: Human recombinant erythropoietin (r-huEPO) is very effective in the treatment of anemia of hemodialyzed patients. We describe 4 patients who developed symptoms of central nervous dysfunction during r-huEPO therapy. Three exhibited typical hypertensive encephalopathy, whereas signs of cerebral ischemia were found in the fourth. The increase in blood viscosity with r-huEPO treatment, leading to a rise in peripheral vascular resistance and blood pressure especially in previously hypertensive patients, may be of importance in the pathogenesis of these cerebrovascular incidents; preexistent arteriosclerosis is an possible additional risk factor.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik, Abteilung Nephrologie, Kantonsspital Aarau.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zehnder
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blumberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000139:chemically induced; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin
vernacular_title: Zerebrovaskuläre Ereignisse bei vier mit Erythropoietin behandelten Hämodialysepatienten.