Radioimmunoassay of erythropoietin in chronic uraemia or anephric patients

The erythropoietin (Ep) plasma titre of 41 anaemic patients with normal renal function or with renal insufficiency (with or without kidney) was measured by RIA and compared to values observed with the polycythaemic mouse assay. A good correlation was found with both methods (r = 0.88). However, about 20% of samples gave higher values with the bioassay. 21 Ep titres measurable by the bioassay ranged from 40 to 4400 mU (mean 717.1 mU) compared to 14.8 to 3788 mU (mean 484.7 mU) measured by the RIA. Low levels of Ep plasma titre have been observed in patients with renal insufficiency and no difference was found between nephric uraemic patients and the anephric group. These results suggest that the increased blood requirements in anephrics are not due to a smaller production of Ep, but ultimately to the presence of an inhibitor of erythropoiesis. The well-known inverse relationship between haematocrit and Ep level was not found in renal insufficiency. However, some humoral regulation of erythropoiesis seems to persist in these patients since the elevation of red blood cells by transfusions was followed by a decrease of the Ep level.