Recombinant human erythropoietin dosage in children undergoing hemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

The efficacy of erythropoietin (EPO) in 11 children on hemodialysis (HD) and 8 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) (mean age 11.8 years) was compared. The initial EPO dose was 50 U/kg s.c. once a week; the time of observation was 24 weeks. In the CAPD group, the mean hemoglobin (Hb) level increased from 7.7±0.2 to 11.2±0.6 g/dl (P< 0.001) and hematocrit (Hct) from 22.3±1.0 to 32.6±1.4% (P<0.001), while in the HD group the mean Hb rose from 7.7±0.6 to 9.3±0.8 g/dl (P<0.001) and mean Hct from 22.7±2.3 to 27.6±2.8% (P<0.001) after 12 weeks of observation. An increase in Hb to over 10 g/dl was obtained in 87.5% of children on CAPD but in only 10% on HD after 8 weeks of EPO treatment. After 12 weeks of treatment, all children on CAPD had the target Hb level of more than 10 g/dl, while 7 children on HD required increased doses of EPO (100 U/kg per week). We conclude that the EPO dose of 50 U/kg given s.c. once a week is effective for children with anemia on CAPD but is insufficient for children on HD. Received June 17, 1996; received in revised form January 24, 1997; accepted March 4, 1997