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Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
[Anemia and cardiovascular risk in the chronic kidney disease population--which hemoglobin target should be reached?]
1Service de Néphrologie, CHU Sart Tillman, Liège, Belgique.
Anemia is frequent when chronic kidney disease develops. Its correction by the use of erythropoietin improves the quality of life, and exercise tolerance, and decreases the cardiovascular risk. However, this later risk is not further decreased or even is increased when the hemoglobin target is set above 13 g/dl as compared to the recommended hemoglobin level between 11 and 12 g/dl. This last target therefor gives the best cost-beneficial effect ratio in the chronic kidney disease population. This target must be the new one.
Anemia is frequent when chronic kidney disease develops. Its correction by the use of erythropoietin improves the quality of life, and exercise tolerance, and decreases the cardiovascular risk. However, this later risk is not further decreased or even is increased when the hemoglobin target is set above 13 g/dl as compared to the recommended hemoglobin level between 11 and 12 g/dl. This last target therefor gives the best cost-beneficial effect ratio in the chronic kidney disease population. This target must be the new one.
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Several factors influence the erythrocyte production rate, with tissue oxygen level being among the most critical. Intense exercise or high altitudes can cause tissue hypoxia, which triggers the kidneys to release more erythropoietin (EPO) into the bloodstream.
EPO then...
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