[Anemia in chronic renal insufficiency]

Anaemia is common in renal insufficiency and has various causes: 1) depressed marrow production of red cells, probably due to reduced production of erythropoietin, though the possibility of direct marrow inhibition on the part of uraemic toxins cannot be ruled out, together with iron deficiency, as occurs in prolonged dialysis management; 2) greater red cell destruction attributable to extraglobular factors and other mechanisms (microangiopathy, drugs, etc.); 3) greater blood loss following thrombocytopenia, reduced platelet adhesivity and agglutinability, dialysis. The main premisses on which the treatment of anaemia of uraemic patients is based are discussed.