[Therapeutic use of recombinant human erythropoietin in clinical practice]

The author presents an account of contemporary and perspective indications of the therapeutic use of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO). He discusses the role of endogenous erythropoietin in the pathogenesis of hypoproliferative anaemias (due to its shortage or inadequate effect) and classification of these conditions as a starting point of expedient therapeutic use of r-HuEPO in clinical practice. More detailed attention is paid in particular to the problem of treatment of anaemia in patients with chronic renal failure, anaemia in chronic inflammatory and malignant diseases, in myelodysplastic syndrome and aplastic anaemia. The author mentions also the use of r-HuEPO in preoperative preparation, in the programme of autotransfusions and its perspective use in transfusiology.