title: Optimal hematocrit for the maximum oxygen delivery to the brain with recombinant human erythropoietin in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although hematocrit (Ht) around 33 to 36% has been recommended, Ht of 30% is usually achieved as a target level during recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) therapy in the majority of hemodialysis (HD) patients. The present study aimed at estimating an optimal hematocrit (Ht) for the maximum oxygen delivery to the brain with rHuEPO.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oxygen delivery was defined as a product of cerebral blood flow and arterial oxygen content (CaO2). The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in each region of interest was measured by positron emission tomography and CaO2 was calculated from hemoglobin concentration, arterial oxygen saturation, and arterial oxygen tension before and after rHuEPO therapy (1,500 units, 3 times a week) in 5 HD patients (the mean age of 52 +/- 2 (SEM) years old and the mean HD duration of 98 +/- 21 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ht rose significantly from 21 +/- 1 to 31 +/- 1% (p < 0.001) after the 3-month rHuEPO treatment in association with a significant increase in CaO2 from 7.7 +/- 0.4 to 11.6 +/- 0.3 ml O2/100 ml (p < 0.01). Hemispheric rCBF decreased significantly from 40 +/- 3 to 32 +/- 1 ml/100 g/min (p < 0.02). In all data both before and after rHuEPO treatment, Ht inversely correlated with the hemispheric rCBF (y = 55.7 - 0.76x, where y is rCBF and x is Ht, r = 0.80, p < 0.01), and positively with CaO2 (y = 0.85 + 0.34x, where y is CaO2 and x is Ht, r = 0.95, p < 0.01). By using these correlations, the hemispheric oxygen delivery was expressed as a function of Ht, being y = 47.3 + 18.3x - 0.3 x2, where y is cerebral oxygen delivery and x is Ht. From this curve, Ht at the highest cerebral oxygen delivery in the hemisphere, i.e. an optimal Ht was found to be 35.2%. Above this level of Ht, the hemispheric cerebral oxygen delivery would rather decline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicated that Ht of about 35% is required for a better oxygen delivery to the brain metabolism during anemia correction with rHuEPO.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka City, Japan.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Hirakata
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Kanai
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Fukuda
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Tsuruya
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Ishida
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Kubo
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Hirano
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Hirakata
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Kuwabara
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Fujishima
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D010100:Oxygen