[High hemoglobin concentration and high hematocrit values in patients with homologous kidney grafts].

9% of kidney allograft recipients were found to develop high hemoglobin concentrations and high hematocrit levels. This abnormality was found only in patients carrying their own diseased kidneys. The majority of graft recipients exhibit low normal erythrocyte counts, whereas the patient group described shows high normal values for red cells. It is suggested that erythropoietin secreted from ischemic regions of the patients' own kidneys may be responsible for the observed difference in erythrocyte counts. No adverse effects were noted clinically.