Serum Erythropoietin level in children with different degrees of chronic renal failure

Abstract

Objective: Kidneys are major sites of erythropoietin production and in chronic renal failure (CRF), erythropoietin production decreases and leads to anemia. This study was done in children with different degrees of CRF and with primary disease of tubules and glomeruli. Methods: In this study 45 children with CRF and glomerular filtration rate, less than 50ml per minute for 1.73 m2 of body surface were divided into moderate, severe and end stage renal disease (ESRD). Serum hemoglobin and erythropoietin levels were evaluated with severity of CRF. Findings: The mean of serum erythropoietin level in normal group was 10.9 mlu/ml and in moderate, severe and ESRD were 13.5, 9.7 and 9.1 mlu/ml respectively. Erythropoietin level in primary tubular disease were 13.9, 13.6 and 10.5 mlu/ml and in glomerular disease were 12.75, 7 and 7.5 mlu/ml. Conclusion: The comparison of hemoglobin and erythropoietin in these group shows that the less the renal function, the more severe the anemia and there was not a significant difference in the level of serum erythropoietin in tubular or glomerular disease.

Keywords

• chronic renal failure
• erythropoietin
• anemia
• children