title: COMPLETE CORRECTION OF ANEMIA WITH RECORMON® (ERYTHROPOIETIN β) IN PATIENTS ON CHRONIC HEMODIALYSIS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suboptimal correction of anemia is associated with increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and increased morbidity and mortality of pre-dialysis and dialysis patients. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of optimal vs. suboptimal correction of anemia in hemodialysis patients with left ventricular hypertrophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 50 patients, 32 males and 18 females, their mean age being 49.4±11.8 years, from five hemodialysis centers (Clinical Hospital Center Zvezdara, Beograd, Clinical Center Novi Sad, hospitals in Krusevac, Pirot and Zrenjanin). The patients had suboptimal hemoglobin level in spite of therapy (7.8±3.8 g/dl). In addition, the most important inclusion criteria was the left ventricular mass index above 160 g/m2 and the primary efficacy parameter was a decrease in the left ventricular mass index during 12 month study period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study, the number of patients who reached their hemoglobin >12 g/dl increased and the target hemoglobin (12-13 g/dl) was achieved in 24 (52%) of patients at the end of the study. At the same time, the left ventricular mass index significantly decreased as compared with the initial values (p=0.014). The left ventricular mass index was not significantly decreased in the patients who did not achieve the target hemoglobin level (207±65 vs. 217±38 g, p=ns) as compared with the patients who achieved the target hemoglobin (179±32 g/ m2 vs. 197±38 g/m2, p=0.007). The left ventricular ejection fraction did not change significantly during the study period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anemia correction with erythropoietin β resulted in the significantly corrected left ventricular hypertrophy in hemodialysis patients who had had a suboptimal hemoglobin level. Our results have shown that correction of left ventricular hypertrophy
authors.forename: Nada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dimković
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mitić
authors.forename: Branislav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Andrić
authors.forename: Branislav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lilić Havidža
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jelačić
authors.forename: Nataša
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Milić
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C103998:epoetin beta; D004921:Erythropoietin