[Anemia in chronic kidney disease and its cardiovascular implications].

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Anemia is a common complication of CKD and it is an important independent risk factor for the development and progression of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and heart failure. Anemia is also independently and synergistically associated with an enhanced risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in CKD patients. The availability of erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA), such as recombinant human erythropoietin, has greatly improved the management of anemia in CKD patients. By increasing hemoglobin levels, ESA therapy has demonstrated to significantly improve quality of life and decrease morbidity and mortality among these patients. Earlier studies suggested that partial correction of anemia in CKD patients with LVH induced a partial regression of LV mass, while mainly uncontrolled and small-sized studies have suggested that anemia treatment with ESA in CKD patients with congestive heart failure improved NYHA class, cardiac function and reduced hospitalization rates. On the other hand, recent randomized controlled trials have reported no benefit of full anemia correction on LVH and no benefit, or even worse outcomes, in CKD patients versus partial anemia correction. Thus, recent anemia guidelines recommend target haemoglobin levels between 11-12 g/dl in CKD patients receiving ESA.