Abstract

Clinical study was carried out on the 64 hemodialysis patients (HD) with chronic renal failure who had been treated from December 1992 to July 1993 in Yeungnam University Hospital. The following results were obtained. In hematologic parameters, MCH was 28.8±2.0 pg, and MCV was 92.4±4.7 fl. Result revealed normochromic and normocytic anemia. Mean values of serum ferritin were 657.4±292.0 ng/ml in men and 511.5±370 g in women. Mean values of serum iron were 145.5±63.7 µg/dl. Mean values of transferrin saturation was 61.6±28.4%. Serum ferritin, serum iron and transferrin saturation were higher in HD group than normal reference. In erythropoietin treatment group, Hb and Hct were significantly higher than non-erythropoietin treatment group. Amount of transfusion was significantly higher in non-erythropoietin treatment group than erythropoietin treatment group (p<0.05). Values of iron, transferrin saturation were significantly higher in abnormal liver function test (LFT0 hemodialysis group than normal LFT group (p<0.05). Transfusion amounts revealed positive correlation with ferritin (r=0.4675), transferrin saturation (r=0.3823) and iron (r=0.3386) (p<0.05). In conclusion, erythropoietin treatment can reduce requirement of blood transfusion and transfusion related side effects such as iron overload, hemosiderosis and hemochromatosis.

• Keywords: Erythropoietin, Transfusion, Hemodialysis