title: Detection of circulating antierythropoietin antibodies in patients with end stage renal disease on regular hemodialysis.
abstract: Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) has been successfully and safely used to treat anemia in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). The safety profile of rHuEPO had been considered to be excellent with possible exception of hypertension and increased risk of dialysis access thrombosis. Recently, antibody-mediated pure red cell aplasia associated with administration of rHuEPO has been identified as a cause of major concern; we aimed to detect and evaluate the presence of anti-EPO antibodies in patients with ESRD on regular dialysis who are using rHuEPO. Serum anti-EPO antibodies were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay technique in a total of 90 patients who are currently on regular hemodialysis and using rHuEPO alpha subcutaneously for more than 6 months. All patients were subjected to full history taking and clinical examination. Complete blood count, reticulocytes count, serum creatinine, blood urea, serum albumin, serum ferritin, and hepatitis markers were performed for all patients. Our results showed that 35 patients (38.9%) had the anti-EPO antibodies in their blood, while 55 patients (61.1%) did not have the circulating antibodies. The mean hemoglobin (Hb) level was significantly lower in the antibody positive group (8.8 g/dl +/- 1.35) than in the antibody negative group (9.42 g/dl +/- 1.32) (P = 0.000). The reticulocytes count was also significantly much lower in the patients who had anti-EPO antibodies with mean of (1.99 +/- 1.14) vs. (3.15 +/- 0.89) in the antibody negative (P = 0.000). The dose of EPO administrated in both studied groups was insignificantly different. The incidence of anti-EPO antibodies is high in ESRD patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Its presence is associated with increased incidence of anemia possibly due to immune-mediated inhibition of erythropoiesis as evidenced by reticulocytopenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: El-Din
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Labib
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Omar
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin