Effect of relative hypoparathyroidism on the responsiveness to recombinant human erythropoietin in chronic hemodialysis patients : a single Saudi center experience

Abstract EN

Anemia is a common concomitant disorder in dialysis patients.

The responsiveness to recombinant human erythropoietin in hemodialysis (HD) patients with relative hypoparathyroidism [4 ≤ intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) ≤ 16.5 pmol / L] remains undetermined.

We retrospectively studied 70 chronic hemodialysis patients who were divided into two groups : Group A (32 patients) had 16.5 ≤ iPTH levels < 33.5 pmol / L and Group B (38 patients) had 4 ≥ iPTH ≤ 16.5 pmol / L during the preceding six months without 1-(OH) Vitamin D3 administration.

The percentage of female gender was significantly higher in Group B compared with Group A (P = 0.018).

In Groups A and B, the mean weekly recombinant human erythropoietin dose (U / kg / week) was 227.96 ± 95.24 vs.

154.1 ± 84.9 (P = 0.001) and the mean hemoglobin level was 11.15 ± 0.63 g / dL versus 11.62 ± 0.63 g / dL (P = 0.008).

There was no significant statistical difference regarding the other biochemical markers (serum ferritin, iron saturation, serum Ca, serum alkaline phosphatase, C-reactive protein, serum B12, serum folate levels, residual renal function and Kt / v) between the groups.

If other factors related to anemia are excluded in chronic HD patients, the lower the iPTH level (relative hypoparathyroidism) the better the responsiveness to recombinant human erythropoietin.