FENOTEROL INCREASES ERYTHROPOIETIN CONCENTRATIONS DURING TOCOLYSIS

Aims The present study was carried out to assess the effect of the sel ective beta(2)-adrenoceptor agonists on erythropoietin (EPO) productio n. Methods Routine tocolysis with fenoterol (using the regular rate of 2 mu g min(-1)) was used as a clinically easily accessible model. Res ults EPO concentrations had doubled 24 h after the start of tocolysis (P<0.001). This increase lasted over the entire observation period of 48 h. Potassium concentrations fell significantly during the first hou rs of fenoterol infusion. There was no increase of human placenta lact ogen during the period of EPO increase. Conclusions The data confirm o ur earlier results that fenoterol increases EPO concentrations followi ng haemorrhage. In this model it was not necessary to stimulate EPO pr oduction prior to pharmacological treatment.