Erythropoietin in Children I. Findings in Various Types of Anemia

Erythropoietin assays were carried out on the plasma of 39 children with various blood dyscrasias. Increased erythropoietin activity was found primarily in those patients with depressed bone marrow function and severe anemia. No direct relationship could be found between the severity of the anemia and the erythropoietin level. No erythropoietin was found in the plasma of patients with hemolytic anemia or renal disease with the exception of one patient with bilateral Wilm's tumor.