Dialysis Patient Treated with rHuEPO

Decreased synthesis of erythropoietin (EPO) is the main cause of anemia in chronic renal failure (CRF) (1,2). Erythropoietin, with 165 amino acids and a molecular weight of 30 400 Da, is produced mainly in renal fibroblasts. Hypoxemia is the key factor pro-moting synthesis of EPO. The human recombinant EPO (rHuEPO) gene was cloned in 1985 and its use in the treatment of anemia due to CRF was approved in 1987. Depending on slight differences in glyco-sylation, there are two different molecules, α- and β-rHuEPO, with identical activity (3). The route of administration of rHuEPO is usually subcutaneous (SC), which allows a better bioavailability and fewer side effects (4). rHuEPO was considered not to be immunogeni