erythropoietin in serum

Indications

• evaluation of hypoplastic anemia

Contraindications

• routine measurement of serum erythropoietin in patients with chronic kidney disease*

* not useful for determinining eleigibility for erythropoiesis-stimulating agent

Reference interval

• 4-27 mU/mL, 5-36 mU/mL
• < 19 mU/mL

Increases

• pure red cell aplasia
• iron deficiency anemia
• autonomous production
  • renal cell carcinoma
  • hepatocellular carcinoma
  • pheochromocytoma
• erythrocytosis (secondary polycythemia)
• anabolic steroids

Decreases

• chronic renal failure
• polycythemia rubra vera
• rheumatoid arthritis
• human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infection
  • zidovudine can increase erythropoietin levels
• amphotericin B

serum levels are low, but not absent

More general terms

• special chemistry test

Additional terms

• erythropoietin (EPO)
• polycythemia