SUBCUTANEOUS RECOMBINANT-HUMAN-ERYTHROPOIETIN IN CHILDREN WITH RENAL ANEMIA ON CONTINUOUS AMBULATORY PERITONEAL-DIALYSIS

Subcutaneous recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) treatment of re nal anemia was performed in four boys and eight girls on CAPD, aged 0. 8-12.5 (mean 7.4) years. In contrast to previous studies, our therapeu tic goal was not set with a hematocrit of 30% but with full correction of anemia. Following a maximum weekly rHuEpo dosage of median 120 (ra nge 100 240) IU/kg body weight, hematocrit increased in 10 children fr om 24 (14-29)% within 12 (4-17) weeks to 40.1 (33.5-48.4)%. The weekly increase in hematocrit was 1.27 (0.5-3.1)%. The corrected reticulocyt e count increased from 1.3 (0.7-1.8)% to 2.3 (1.4-3.9)% within 4 (2-6) weeks. Eight children fulfilled the protocol; six with an uncomplicat ed course were able to maintain a hematocrit of 37.1 (35.1-42.7)% with only one sc medication per week of approximately two-thirds of their highest weekly rHuEpo dosage. No serious adverse effect of rHuEpo ther apy was observed.