[Effect of recombinant human erythropoietin administration on cardiovascular system in patient with chronic renal failure: an analysis of the blood pressure upward].

To investigate the mechanism of blood pressure upward after recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) administration in patient with chronic renal failure (CRF), hemodynamic changes following on the improvement of anemia was evaluated by the echocardiography. Fourteen (5 males, 9 females) normotensive patients with less than 23% of hematocrit (HT) were administered 1,500 approximately 3,000 units of EPO three times a week. Four patients with systolic (greater than 160 mmHg) or diastolic (greater than 90 mmHg) hypertension after EPO administration was named group H, the remaining patients was named group N. Blood pressure, heart rates and parameters of echocardiography examined after the improvement of anemia were compared to those examined before EPO administration, respectively. Patients had an increase in Ht from 20.0 +/- 1.6% to 33.0 +/- 1.9% (p less than 0.01). LVDd, LVEDV, CO and flow velocity in group N were significantly decreased after EPO administration; while those in group H did not show the significant changes. IVSth and LVPWth in each group were significantly increased after EPO administration. These data showes that decrease in CO maintains the patients normotensive after EPO administration.