Although anemia is frequently found in congestive heart failure (CHF), little is known about the effect of its correction with erythropoietin (EPO) on cardiac structure and function.

The present study examines in patients with advanced CHF, chronic renal insufficiency, and anemia the effects of β-EPO on left ventricular (LV) systolic diameter and volume (LVSD and LVSV), LV diastolic diameter and volume (LVDD and LVDV), LV mass, LV ejection fraction (LVEF), pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels.

Fifty-one consecutive subjects affected with advanced CHF and anemia were studied. We performed a randomized double-blind controlled study of correction of anemia with subcutaneous EPO for 4 months (group A, 26 patients) using saline as the placebo in the control group (group B, 25 patients). We then maintained the EPO treatment in the treated group for another 8 months. Both groups received oral iron throughout the total 12-month period. Echocardiographic evaluation, BNP levels, and hematological parameters are reported at 4 and 12 months.

The patients in group A during the double-blind phase (4 months) demonstrated an increase in LVEF and mild reduction in LVSD and LVSV with respect to baseline and to group B with no differences in PAP, LVDD, and LVDV. Over the 12-month period, the hemoglobin increased from 10.40.6 to 12.4 ± 0.8 g/dL (P < .01) in group A but did not change in group B. Compared with group B, group A had lower LVDD, LVSD, LVDV, LVSV, LV mass, PAP, and BNP and higher LVEF. The serum creatinine and creatinine clearance remained unchanged in the 2 groups.

In anemic patients with CHF, correction of anemia with EPO and oral iron over 1 year lead to an improvement in LV systolic function, LV remodeling, BNP levels, and PAP compared with a control group in which only oral iron was used.