Affiliations: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sci-ence, Ain
Shams university, Cairo, Egypt | Oncology Diagnostic Unit, Department of Biochemistry,
Faculty of Medicine, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt
Note: [] Correspondence: Dr. E.A. Mady, Faculty of Education, King Faisal
University, PO Box 1759, Al-Hassa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Abstract: This study was constructed to investigate the relationship between
renal anaemia and erythropoietin (EPO) concentrations in chronic renal failure
(CRF) patients and to evaluate the possible role of the liver. Serum
EPO levels were measured in blood samples from 20 CRF patients on hemodialysis
(HD), 20 liver cirrhosis (LC) patients, 20 patients having both CRF and LC and
undergoing HD, and 20 normal control subjects. Blood cell counts,
iron indices (iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) and ferritin), renal
function (blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine), hepatic function (ALT,
AST, ALP and bilirubin) investigations were carried out for all the subjects
enrolled in this study. CRF patients without LC had serum EPO
concentration of 6.21 ± 0.53 mU/ml
(mean ± SE), which was significantly higher than that in
patients having both CRF and LC (4.32 ± 0.52)
(p < 0.01). Both groups showed significantly lower
values than the controls (12.75 ± 0.70)
(p < 0.001). LC patients with intact kidneys had significantly
higher EPO level (22.70 ± 1.70)
(p < 0.001). No correlation was found between EPO level
and any of the hematologic or iron indices.
Keywords: erythropoietin, iron indices, chronic renal failure, liver cirrhosis
