Effect of erythropoietin on kidney allograft survival: early use after transplantation.

INTRODUCTION Erythropoietin is administered for treatment of anemia in chronic kidney disease and kidney transplantation. Erythropoietin improves oxygenation of organs and prevents them against apoptosis. The aim of this study was evaluation of erythropoietin's effect on graft survival in the early phase after transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty kidney transplant candidates with a hemoglobin level of 8 g/dL to 10 g/dL were randomized to receive either erythropoietin (PD-Poietin) or placebo for the first posttransplant week. They were followed up for 6 months and serum creatinine levels, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), allograft rejection episodes, and graft loss were compared between the two groups. RESULTS The mean creatinine level and GFR were 1.16 ± 0.03 mg/mL and 85.1 ± 18.3 mL/min in the erythropoietin group and 1.2 ± 0.2 mg/dL and 83.3 ± 21.1 mL/min in the control group at baseline. After 6 months of follow-up, the mean of creatinine level and GFR reached to 1.11 ± 0.23 mg/dL and 86.6 ± 10.3 mL/min in the erythropoietin group and 1.31 ± 0.35 mg/dL and 79.7 ± 12.5 mL/min in the control group, respectively (P = .04 and P = .02). None of the patients lost their grafts and no death was reported. There were no adverse effects in the erythropoietin group. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that erythropoietin may have beneficial effects on graft function if administered early after transplantation. Erythropoietin can be used for all kidney transplant recipients for protecting the allograft due to its effects on tissue oxygenation.