Boosting hemoglobin: The potent impact of erythropoietin administration

Abstract

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is currently increasing. CKD patients experience kidney cell damage, leading to decreased function and insufficient erythropoietin production. This insufficiency causes a reduction in red blood cell production and results in anaemia among CKD patients. Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents (ESAs) stimulate red blood cell formation in the bone marrow. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of erythropoietin therapy in increasing haemoglobin (Hb) levels in haemodialysis patients. The study is a retrospective observational study with descriptive analysis conducted from April 1 to April 20, 2024, at RSIY PDHI. The sample consisted of 39 respondents selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results showed that the majority of CKD patients were male (56.4%), with an average age of 55 years and an average weight of 58.32 kg. The most common employment status was self-employed (35.9%). The average Hb level before erythropoietin administration was 8.54 mg/dL. After erythropoietin therapy at a dose of 3000 UI per week for 3 months, the average Hb level increased to 9.38 mg/dL, showing a difference of 0.83 mg/dL. Data analysis using the Wilcoxon test yielded a p-value of 0.000, which is less than the significance level α (0.05), indicating that erythropoietin therapy is effective in increasing Hb levels in haemodialysis patients.

Keywords: Haemodialysis; chronic kidney disease; erythropoietin; nursing care; interprofessional collaboration