Lipopolysaccharide evokes resistance to erythropoiesis induced by the long-acting erythropoietin analogue darbepoetin alfa in rats.

Background: Anemia is common in patients with sepsis but its mechanism is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that effects on erythropoiesis evoked by darbepoetin alfa (DA), a long-acting erythropoietin analog, are diminished by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Methods: We performed a prospective, controlled, randomized animal study (male Lewis rats n = 44).