| Abstract: | The disturbances of blood platelet activity play an important role in the formation of haemostasis disorders in patients with end-stage renal failure (ESRF). Phospholipids and their fatty acids play an essential role in the structure and function of the platelet. In patients with ESRF, changed lipid metabolism and also changed platelet phospholipid composition are observed. Data is available on the positive influence of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) on some lipid metabolism disorders in patients with ESRF. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the influence of rHuEPO on the fatty acid composition of platelet phospholipids in patients with ESRF treated with repeated haemodialysis. The study material included 25 patients divided into two groups: group I--14 patients treated with repeated haemodialysis, group II--11 patients also treated with haemodialysis in whom rHuEPO was administered subcutaneously in doses 2000 U twice weekly. In group I great differences in fatty acid composition were noted in comparison to the control group. In general, decreased content of unsaturated fatty acids was found in all phospholipid classes, except for phosphatidylcholine. In group II the changes in fatty acid composition were considerably less pronounced than in group I, in the case of many acids reaching the values observed in the control group. The obtained results suggest that rHuEPO improves changed platelet lipid metabolism in patients with ESRF treated with repeated haemodialysis. |
