[Erythropoietin--therapeutic option in chronic polyarthritis-induced anemia]

Twenty-three patients with rheumatoid arthritis and relevant anemia (hemoglobin < 11 g/dl) received recombinant erythropoietin (epo) in a therapy study; 90% were responders. A positive correlation of the total epo dose and the amelioration of parameters of red cell line and a negative correlation of the effect of epo and the systemic activity of the rheumatoid arthritis was found. The effect of the treatment was improved if higher serum iron and serum ferritin values were preexistent. Using appropriate doses of epo even patients with very active disease could be treated successfully. Especially in these cases epo is a valuable expansion of the therapeutic spectrum.