Study of the causes of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO)-derived hypertension in patients with chronic renal failure

To elucidate whether or not the improvement of anemia with the resultant hyperviscosity is one of the causes of rHuEPO-derived hypertension, the present study was conducted with 29 hemodialysis patients and 15 predialysis patients. They were kept in the supine position for 60 minutes (min) before the study and for 60 min during the study. Measurement of blood pressure was done every 30 min and blood samples were obtained before and after the study. Circulating blood cells (CBC), pressor substances such as plasma catecholamines (NA, A), plasma aldosterone concentrations (PAC), plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) were assayed. The amount of rHuEPO (Epoetin-β) given intravenously was 3000 units to dialysis patients and 6000 units to predialysis patients. CBC did not change over the 60 min study in either group. In contrast, blood pressure varied from 142.7/76.5mmHg to 145.1/78.6mmHg at 30 min and rose to 150.9 (p