Role of Epoetin-α in the Management of Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Patients

Epoetin-α in the Management of Anemia in Chronic

Abstract

Anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) contributes to morbidity, increased transfusion requirements, and cardiovascular risk, and is mainly caused by insufficient erythropoietin (EPO) synthesis. Erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs) are a crucial therapy for managing anemia associated with CKD. Before the introduction of ESAs, blood transfusions were primarily used to manage anemia in these patients. Epoetin-α was the first erythropoietin analog to be used clinically. Objective: To find the efficacy of epoetin-α in increasing hemoglobin in chronic kidney disease patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Pakistan Air Force Hospital Mushaf, Sargodha, including 189 CKD patients. All patients received Epoetin-α at a dose of 4000 IU subcutaneously once weekly. Baseline complete blood count (CBC) was recorded before treatment, and a follow-up CBC was performed after one month. Data were collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 24.0. Results: The study included 189 patients, of whom 121 were male and 68 were female. The mean age was 58.7 ± 14.39 years. The mean hemoglobin before Epoetin-α therapy was 7.5 ± 0.76 g/dL, which increased to 8.9 ± 1.28 g/dL after one month. Erythropoietin was found effective in 82% of patients, while 18% showed an insufficient response. Post-treatment chi-square analysis revealed statistically significant associations for age, baseline hemoglobin, and duration of dialysis (p<0.001), whereas gender was not significantly associated (p=0.202). Conclusions: Epoetin-α stands as a cornerstone in managing CKD-related anemia. Despite the efficacy, optimal dosing strategies, long-term safety profiles, and personalized treatment algorithms necessitate further research.