Recombinant Human Erythropoietin Dose, Serum Adiponectin, and All-Cause Mortality in Patients Beginning Hemodialysis

We selected 85 patients (51 men/34 women, age; 64±15 years) who survived for more than 3 months after the start of HD. After determining initial rHuEPO dosage, we followed the patients for 3 years, and examined an association between rHuEPO dose, serum ADPN, and all-cause mortality.

We could follow totally 74 out of 85 patients for 3 years; 59 patients were survived, but 15 patients expired. Dosage of rHuEPO was significantly and negatively correlated with body mass index (BMI) (r=-0.44, p<0.01) and positively with serum ADPN (r=0.29, p<0.02), but not with leptin. Cox-hazards regression analysis adjusted by age, sex and underlying kidney disease revealed that rHuEPO dose and serum ADPN, as well as nutritional parameter such as protein catabolic rate became significant determinants of 3-year mortality. There was a 12.7% risk increase for 10U/kg/week increase in rHuEPO dose and 1.3% increase for 1µg/ml increment of serum ADPN for the 3-year of follow-up.