Plasma and Urinary Erythropoietin in Bone Marrow Failure

Red blood cell production is regulated in part by a specific humoral factor, erythropoietin.^1-5 Although the physiologic properties of this substance have been studied extensively, the relationship of erythropoietin to clinical disease remains speculative.^6-12 This paper reports the results of an assessment of plasma and urine erythropoietin levels in 16 patients with acute or chronic bone marrow failure. In 1 patient serial studies were undertaken during the development of a fortuitous remission, while in another, plasma and urinary erythropoietin levels were compared in simultaneously collected samples.

Methods and Material  Sixteen patients with marrow failure were studied. Twelve were hospitalized at the St. Louis Veterans Administration Hospital, the remainder at the Barnes and Jewish Hospitals.^* In 13 patients the disorder was chronic. The diagnosis in 4 patients was chronic bone marrow failure with erythroid hyperplasia; in 5, chronic bone marrow failure with erythroid hypoplasia; in 1, congenital erythroid hypoplasia;