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Erythropoietin

Also known as: EPO
Formal name: Erythropoietin
Related tests: Red blood cell count, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, CBC, Reticulocyte count

Common Questions

1.  Can adequate erythropoietin production in the kidney be restored?

Not directly. If an insufficiency is due to a temporary kidney condition, then it may resolve as the condition resolves. In many cases, however, the decreased erythropoietin production is due to chronic kidney disease and will not get better over time. When there is a known insufficiency, the doctor will work with the patient to address and minimize the effects of the resulting anemia and may treat the patient with synthetic erythropoietin.

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2.  Why isn’t erythropoietin measured to monitor erythropoietin drug therapy?

It is not used because it is the effect on the bone marrow – reflected by increased RBC and reticulocyte production and increasing hemoglobin – that is important in the resolution of anemia, not the concentration of erythropoietin in the blood. The amount needed will vary from person to person depending on their condition and the responsiveness of their bone marrow.

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