Erythropoietin concentrations and erythropoiesis in newborns suffering from renal agenesis and congenital kidney diseases.

UNLABELLED: We studied serum concentrations of erythropoietin (EPO) in the cord blood of 31 newborns. In patients with renal agenesis (n = 6), the EPO levels were 68.2 (23-177) mU/ml (median, range). These values are clearly above EPO levels in the reference groups (median/range: < 30 weeks 11.0 (5.5-17.5) mU/ml; 30-32 weeks 18.1 (5.5-136) mU/ml; 33-34 weeks 17.7 (8.3-423) mU/ml; 35-37 weeks 17.3 (5.5-272) mU/ml; > or = 38 weeks 17.8 (8.7-40.3) mU/ml). Neonates with polycystic kidney diseases (n = 12, EPO 23.5 (9.7-491) mU/ml) and with severe bilateral hydronephrosis due to obstructive uropathy (n = 13, 18.6 (7.5-30.7) mU/ml) showed no difference to the reference groups. In all groups there were only slight differences in haemoglobin/haematocrit values.

CONCLUSION: In spite of renal agenesis and severe congenital kidney diseases, erythropoiesis is sufficiently maintained during fetal life. The liver of congenitally kidney-damaged fetuses is sufficiently able to compensate the reduction in--or lack of--renal EPO production.