Combined recombinant human erythropoietin-blood letting strategy for treating anemia and iron overload in hemodialysis patients.

We studied the feasibility of treating refractory anemia and post-transfusional serious hemochromatosis in a patient undergoing hemodialysis (3x4 h weekly) for fourteen years, with recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) associated with blood-letting. Blood transfusion previously received by the patient at a rate of two units of packed red cells every month for nine years was stopped and r-HuEPO (80 U/kg b.w.

Serum ferroxidase I and II in uremic patients under conservative treatment and maintenance hemodialysis.

Serum ferroxidase I (ceruloplasmin) and ferroxidase II activities were studied in 49 uremic patients under conservative treatment, in 79 patients undergoing hemodialysis and in 56 healthy subjects, as controls. Ferroxidase I was significantly higher in both groups of patients. Ferroxidase II was significantly elevated only in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis.

Re-evaluation of ascorbic acid deficiency in hemodialysed patients.

In 92 uremic patients under chronic hemodialysis without ascorbic acid supplementation, serum ascorbic acid was measured before hemodialysis and between two sessions. The results indicated a more serious ascorbic acid deficiency of patients than in previous studies. This difference might be explained by the highly specific enzymatic method applied in the present study, excluding any potential interference of various serum reducing substances.