title: Cardiorenal anemia syndrome: do erythropoietin and iron therapy have a place in the treatment of heart failure?
abstract: The cardiorenal anemia syndrome in congestive heart failure (CHF) is an independent risk factor for vascular morbidity and mortality. Several factors play a role in the pathogenesis of anemia in CHF, including inflammation, impaired renal function, use of certain antihypertensive or cardioprotective agents, and gastrointestinal or urinary losses of essential hemopoietic factors. Several trials evaluated the effects of administering erythropoietin (EPO) and/or iron to patients with CHF. Even though most of them were uncontrolled studies, their results suggest that EPO treatment might be beneficial in CHF. Nevertheless, more studies are needed and certain issues should be resolved, particularly the optimal hemoglobin level, before EPO can become part of the treatment of patients with CHF.
authors.affiliation: Second Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Efstathios D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Pagourelias
authors.forename: Charalambos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koumaras
authors.forename: Anna I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Kakafika
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tziomalos
authors.forename: Paraskevi G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Zorou
authors.forename: Vasilios G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Athyros
authors.forename: Asterios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karagiannis
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D058085:Iron Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D015995:Prevalence; D013577:Syndrome; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006397:Hematinics; D006454:Hemoglobins; D058085:Iron Compounds; D004921:Erythropoietin