Effects of rHuEPO therapy on exercise capacity in hemodialysis patients with coronary artery disease.

Abstract

We investigated the effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) therapy on exercise capacity by symptom-limited maximal treadmill exercise testing in 9 patients with coronary artery disease who were receiving maintenance hemodialysis. The initial hemoglobin concentration of 7.9 +/- 0.7 g/dl, (mean +/- S.D.) rose to 10.4 +/- 1.1 g/dl, (p < 0.01) after three months of rHuEPO therapy. The partial correction of renal anemia resulted in a significant increase in exercise duration (from 278 +/- 84 sec to 384 +/- 74 sec, p < 0.01) and maximum pressure-rate product (from 228.3 +/- 50.3 mmHg.bpm/10(2) to 262.8 +/- 40.4 mmHg.bpm/10(2), p < 0.01). The maximum exercise-induced ST segment depression significantly decreased after treatment (from 1.3 +/- 0.5 mm to 0.5 +/- 0.5 mm, p < 0.05). These results suggest that the improvement in maximum coronary oxygen supply exceeded the increased maximum myocardial oxygen requirements after the partial correction of renal anemia by rHuEPO therapy in hemodialysis patients with coronary artery disease.