Effect and Safety Analysis of Levocarnitine Combined with rhEPO in the Treatment of Renal Anemia in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients
LIU Tianhui
YANG Lichuan
ZOU Qianting
CAI Hezhou
ZHAO Guodan
TANG Dongmei
Abstract：Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of levocarnitine combined with recombinant human erythropoietin(rhEPO)in the treatment of renal anemia in maintenance hemodialysis(MHD)patients.Methods A retrospective study was conducted.A total of 190 MHD patients with renal anemia admitted to the Chengdu Office Hospital of the People's Government of Tibet Autonomous Region from January 2022 to December 2024 were divided into an observation group(101 cases,rhEPO+levocarnitine)and a control group(89 cases,rhEPO alone)based on treatment regimens.Both groups received conventional MHD treatment(2-3 times/week,4 h/session).The control group received subcutaneous rhEPO injections,while the observation group received additional intravenous levocarnitine.Both groups received continuous treatment for 3 months.We compared the following parameters between the two groups before and after treatment:anemia-related indicators(hemoglobin,hematocrit,iron metabolism parameters);renal function indicators[blood urea nitrogen,serum creatinine,β2-microglobulin(β2-MG)];safety indicators(coagulation function,hemodynamic parameters,and incidence of adverse events).Results After treatment,the observation group showed significantly higher levels of hemoglobin(Hb),hematocrit(HCT),ferritin(SF),transferrin saturation(TSAT),reticulocyte count(Ret),and serum iron(SI)compared to the control group(P<0.05),along with significantly lower levels of blood urea nitrogen(BUN),serum creatinine(Scr),β2-MG,D-dimer(D-D),systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP),and heart rate(HR)(P<0.05).No statistically significant difference in adverse reaction rates was observed between the two groups(6.93%vs 3.37%,P=0.341).Conclusion Levocarnitine combined with rhEPO effectively improves renal anemia,preserves renal function,reduces thrombotic risk and cardiovascular burden in MHD patients,with a favorable safety profile.However,its impact on long-term adverse reactions requires further investigation.
Keywords：Maintenance hemodialysisRenal anemiaRecombinant human erythropoietinLevocarnitine
Publication Date：2025-07-20
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-27(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 165-169 )