A case report of darbepoetin treatment in a patient with sickle cell disease and chronic renal failure undergoing regular hemodialysis procedures that induce a dose-dependent extension of blood transfusion intervals.

In this case, a female Nigerian patient suffered from sickle cell disease (SCD, hemoglobin SS)-induced chronic renal failure and was undergoing hemodialysis treatment. Due to SCD crisis and renal anemia the patient received regular blood transfusions when the hemoglobin concentration fell below 5.0 g/L. Blood transfusion associated iron-overload was noticed. To reduce the iron-overload side effects, we started an erythropoietin therapy (darbepoetin) to extend the blood transfusion interval, using 30-150 microg/week. As a result of our investigation we observed that darbepoetin can significantly extend blood transfusion intervals without increasing SCD crisis. To substantiate our observation, further investigations are needed with more SCD patients undergoing regular hemodialysis treatment.