Beyond anemia: the clinical impact of the physiologic effects of erythropoietin.
Although we have known that oxygen tension affects erythrocyte production since the 19th century, we have only recently begun to understand many subtleties of erythropoietin (EPO) physiology. EPO administration has allowed hundreds of thousands of patients to avoid transfusions. With the beneficial effects so apparent a detailed understanding of the full clinical physiology of this plasma factor seemed less important. However, the unanticipated increase in mortality found in recent randomized studies is prompting a reassessment of this view. We will review what is known about the physiology of this plasma factor that, it is now clear, is more than just an erythrocyte production factor.
Department of Hypertension, Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, Auburn University, Opelika, Alabama 36801, USA. HNDT512@bellsouth.net
Charles J
CJ
Diskin
Thomas J
TJ
Stokes
Linda M
LM
Dansby
Lautrec
L
Radcliff
Thomas B
TB
Carter
D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D015657:Respiratory Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin