[Anemia of chronically hemodialyzed patients]

The correlation between the circulating erythrocyte count, and the NPN level, the number of performed dialyses and the quantity of transfused blood was investigated in 10 patients subjected to haemodialysis for more than six months. No evaluable relationship was found between the circulating erythrocyte count and the NPN level and the number of dialyses. Though the majority of patients had received more transfusions than usual, their anaemia persisted. The quantity of transfused blood can considerably be reduced by carefully chosen indications.