The Relationship for Anemia and Chronic Kidney Disease

Anemia is the common symptom of Chronic Kidney Disease, the injured renal cells fail to producing enough EPO to support the formation of red blood cells, leading to anemia. Many patients with Chronic Kidney Disease learn of anemia, because they are weak, tired and lack of concentration and even have trouble in sleeping, lowering the life quality of patients a lot. Then what patients can do to treat the anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease.

As the kidney becomes progressively diseased, mechanisms that form scar tissue take over, and with the process of scarring, cells responsible for manufacturing erythropoietin(EPO) die. When EPO is produced by the kidney, it travels to the bone marrow and turns on the mechanisms that help red blood cells mature. Without EPO, the production of red cells is diminished.

Anemia starts in the third stage of Chronic Kidney Disease when the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is less than 60 cc/min, long before dialysis is necessary. Unfortunately, many patients do dialysis with anemia, even though it can be easily treated. As kidney disease progresses, anemia worsens.

Other factors can also cause the anemia, such as low iron stores, chronic inflammatory conditions, or even subclinical blood losses from gastrointestinal sources (ulcers, tumors and gastritis), menstruation or dysfunctional uterine bleeding. But in most cases, the cause of anemia in kidney disease is the result of decreased production of EPO, that is to say, the damage of kidney inherent tissues and cells.


Now if you want to know more information about the cause and management for anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease, you can contact our online doctors, leave us messages or send email to kidneyhospitalabroad@hotmail.com, we will reply you within 24 hours.