Effect of treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin on peripheral hemodynamics and oxygenation.

Slow progressive improvement of renal anemia from 21 up to 33% hematocrit by rhEPO treatment results in an increase of tissue oxygenation as indicated by a rise of the transcutaneous oxygen pressure. In normotensive patients this was accompanied by an increase in MAP (delta 6 mm Hg) within the normal range and a significant fall of the regional blood flow. These hemodynamic changes are caused by increases of the regional and presumably also of the total peripheral vascular resistance. Most likely the increase in total peripheral vascular resistance represents an autoregulatory event triggered by the rising tissue oxygenation. From the present data it is difficult to estimate to what extent the observed rise in hematocrit affects peripheral vascular resistance also via an increase of blood viscosity.