Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors impair recombinant human erythropoietin induced erythropoiesis in patients with chronic renal failure.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and other anti-hypertensive agents on recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients.


METHODS
The present study was conducted at the Nephrology Department, Khan Research Laboratories Hospital and Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan during March 2004 to February 2005. One hundred patients, 55 males and 45 females (age range 13-78 years) were divided into 2 groups. Group-I patients received rHuEPO and ACE inhibitors/ARBs while Group-II patients received rHuEPO with other antihypertensives such as calcium channel blockers or beta-adrenergic receptor blockers. Monthly increment in hematocrit (HCT%) was monitored in both groups for 4 continuous months. One-way ANOVA on Dunn's, univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to determine any significant improvement in erythropoiesis between the 2 treatment groups.


RESULTS
Monthly increase in HCT% was significantly greater in the group that was treated with rHuEPO and antihypertensives other than ACE inhibitors/ARBs compared with that treated with ACE inhibitors/ARBs, an effect observed even at a higher dose of rHuEPO, and the patients were iron replete.


CONCLUSIONS
The present data from our population confirms that ACE inhibitors/ARBs interfere with rHuEPO therapy for treatment of anemia in CRF. The ACE inhibitors/ARBs inhibit erythropoiesis induced by rHuEPO in CRF patients, therefore, simultaneous use of ACE inhibitors/ARBs and rHuEPO should be carried out with caution.
Qureshi
Irfan Z
IZ
Department of Animal Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan. irfan_qureshi_pk2002@yahoo.com
Abid
Kausar
K
Ambreen
Fareeha
F
Qureshi
Abid L
AL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004920:Erythropoiesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006400:Hematocrit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011336:Probability; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin