Despite the decrease in creatinine clearance (95.1 to 66.9 ml/min, p < 0.001), a similar median O/E Epo level was observed, independently of the presence of renal failure, excluding an important impact of renal failure on Epo production.
Patients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) have reduced hemoglobin levels, mostly as a result of decreased kidney production of erythropoietin, but the relation between renal insufficiency and the magnitude of hemoglobin reduction has not been well defined.
The results demonstrate that myoblasts can be transplanted in uremic mice, and that myoblast gene transfer can achieve sufficient and sustained delivery of functionally active EPO to correct anemia associated with renal failure in mice.