Abstract
Abstract. Blood transfusion requirements have been calculated in 6 patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis before and after bilateral nephrectomy. Following nephrectomy the monthly average transfusion requirement per patient increased from 379 + 135 to 673+202 ml (+S.D.) (p<0.03) and average Hb decreased from 7.7+0.4 to 6.9+0.5 g/100 ml (p< 0.03). Furthermore transfusion requirements were calculated in 10 nephrectomized and 15 non‐nephrectomized patients. The monthly transfusion requirement averaged 404+181 ml per patient in the nephrectomized against 14+22 in the non‐nephrectomized group (p<0.01). Hb averaged 5.3+0.7 g/100 ml in the nephrectomized against 6.7+1.2 in the non‐nephrectomized group (p<0.01). No significant difference in age, body weight, length of observation period, average predialytic serum creatinine, average predialytic BP or duration of antibiotic therapy was found in the two groups. Seven of 9 multitransfused patients developed lymphocytotoxic antibodies. It is concluded that severely atrophic kidneys exert a significant, although limited, erythropoietic stimulating function and that nephrectomy should not be performed as a routine in patients on chronic dialysis awaiting renal transplantation.
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