ACTIONS OF RHUEPO THERAPY ON BLOOD RHEOLOGY OF THE PATIENTS ON CHRONIC-HEMODIALYSIS

The efficiency of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in treating renal anemia has been clearly established. However some adverse effects have been attributed to its action, being hypertension the most frequent of side effects. In this study we analyze the variation with rHuEPO therapy of some hemorheological parameters wich could be implicated in these effects. Twenty-one hemodialyzed patients with rHuEPO treatment were studied. The period of rHuEPO administration took over 8 months (16 +/- 8 months). The same study was carried out in 11 hemodialyzed patients without rHuEPO therapy A third group consisted of 12 normal individuals. In every group, hematocrit, erythrocyte deformability (filterability), erythrocyte aggregation, and plasma viscosity were measured. Besides these hemorheologycal parameters, erythrocyte 2-3 DPG, plasma fibrinogen and haptoglobin were also determined, due to their influence on the hemorheological parameters. We found that in the group without rHuEPO erythrocyte deformability, plasma viscosity and haptoglobin were within the normal range. 2-3 DPG and fibrinogen were higher than in normal group (p < 0,01) as well as erythrocyte aggregation (p < 0, 05). There were not significant differences between both groups of hemodialyzed patients, except for the increase in erythrocyte deformability and decrease in the erythrocyte aggregation in the group under rHuEPO therapy. From these data we deduct than rHuEPO not only induces quantitative, but also qualitative changes in the red cell able to ameliorate its rheological behaviour.