Effectiveness of treating the renal anemia in chronic hemodialyzed patients by epoietin alpha and beta.

INTRODUCTION Anemia is an early sign of chronic kidney dysfunction, caused by many different factors, but the insufficient erythropoietin synthesis is the crucial factor in its development. OBJECTIVES The objective of our study was to compare effectiveness of epoietin alpha and beta application in the treatment of renal anemia in chronic hemodialyzed patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS The group included 60 patients of both sexes, randomly chosen. Criteria for including patients into the study were: older than 18 years, haemodialyzed longer than three months and treated by epoietin beta, stable level of hemoglobin, between 9 and 11 g/dL at least two successive measurements and no malignant disease present. The patients were then randomized into groups: 20 patients were administered epoietin alpha intravenously instead of epoietin beta subcutaneously (experimental group); 20 patients were administered intravenously epoietin beta instead of epoietin beta subcutaneously (control group A), the rest of 20 patients were administered epoietin beta subcutaneously (control group B). All the testees were administered epoietin alpha or beta three times weekly after haemodialysis, intravenously or subcutaneously. RESULTS Comparison among mean values of hematological and biochemical parameters before starting the treatment by erythropoietin, and third and sixth months after therapy in the studied groups, no significant difference was found (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION Epoietin alpha and beta showed approximate degree of efficacy in renal anemia treatment of hemodialysis patients. The way of erythropoetin administration did not significantly effect the level of hemoglobin and hematocrit in six months research period.