Shortened red blood cell age in patients with end-stage renal disease who were receiving haemodialysis: a cross-sectional study

The causes of anaemia in patients with end-stage renal disease include a relative deficiency in erythropoietin production and complex clinical conditions. We aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of anaemia in patients with end-stage renal disease who were undergoing maintenance dialysis by measuring erythrocyte creatine levels. In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated 69 patients with end-stage renal disease who were receiving haemodialysis (n = 55) or peritoneal dialysis (n = 14). Erythrocyte creatine level, a quantitative marker of mean red blood cell (RBC) age, was measured. The mean RBC age was significantly shorter in the haemodialysis group than in the peritoneal dialysis group (47.7 days vs. 59.8 days, p