Cerebrovascular incidents in 4 hemodialysis patients treated with erythropoietin
Zehnder, C.; Blumberg, A.
Schweizerische Medizinische Wochenschrift 118(40): 1423-1426
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-7672 PMID: 3187475 Document Number: 310029
Human recombinant erythropoietin (r-huEPO) is very effective in the treatment of anemia of hemodialyzed patients. We describe 4 patients who developed symptoms of central nervous dysfunction during r-huEPO therapy. Three exhibited typical hypertensive encephalopathy, whereas signs of cerebral ischemia were found in the fourth. The increase in blood viscosity with r-huEPO treatment, leading to a rise in peripheral vascular resistance and blood pressure especially in previously hypertensive patients, may be of importance in the pathogenesis of these cerebrovascular incidents; preexistent arteriosclerosis is an possible additional risk factor.