Anemia in chronic renal failure is due to: (A) Decreased erythropoietin production, (B) Iron deficiency, (C) Hypoplastic bone marrow, (D) Decreased folate levels
Answer is A. Ref Harrison 19 th ed pg 630 The anemia is primarily due to a failure of EPO production by the diseased kidney and a reduction in red cell survival. In ceain forms of acute renal failure, the correlation between the anemia and renal function is weaker. Patients with the hemolytic-uremic syndrome increase eryth- ropoiesis in response to the hemolysis, despite renal failure requiring dialysis.