Effect of erythropoietin on anemia of peritoneally dialyzed anephric rats

The effect of erythropoietin on anemia was studied in anephric rats undergoing peritoneal dialysis. Both the number of bone marrow red cell precursors and plasma iron turnover were markedly depressed in untreated peritoneally dialyzed anephric animals when compared to peritoneally dialyzed sham-operated control rats. Anephric rats receiving 2 U of erythropoietin per day for 12 days had greater than threefold more bone marrow red cell precursors and a twofold larger plasma iron turnover than did the saline injected anephric rats. There was no significant difference in either bone marrow red cell precursors or plasma iron turnover in the erythropoietin-treated anephric rats when compared to the nonuremic controls. Although the rats receiving erythropoietin for 12 days had a significantly higher hematocrit (29.5%) than the saline injected uremic rats did (19.0%), the hematocrit was significantly lower than that found in nonuremic control animals, either receiving erythropoietin (48.1%) or not receiving erythropoietin (41.6%). Our data suggests that erythropoietin is potentially a useful agent for the treatment of anemia of chronic renal failure.