Renal Anemia: Causes

Pathogenesis (disease development)

Chronic renal failure or other renal diseases result in impaired renal (“kidney-related”) erythropoietin formation (synonyms: erythropoietin, EPO), which stimulates erythropoiesis (blood formation). Furthermore, there is a disturbed iron incorporation, a shortened life span of erythrocytes (red blood cells), hemolysis (dissolution of red blood cells) and an inhibition of erythropoiesis (process of formation and development of erythrocytes/red blood cells) by “uremic toxins” (mostly nitrogenous substances, which are responsible for the symptoms of uremia (increased occurrence of urinary substances in the blood) and nephropathy (kidney disease), among others. Aggravating agents:

Etiology (causes)

Biographical causes

  • Genetic burden from parents, grandparents
    • Genetic diseases/misformations
      • Polycystic kidney disease – kidney disease due to multiple cysts (fluid-filled cavities) in the kidneys
        • Partly with autosomal dominant as well as autosomal recessive inheritance (see below Cystic Kidney Disease).

Causes due to disease

Medications

Anemia

Aplastic anemia

Note: For drugs marked with an asterisk (* ), the association with aplastic anemia is poorly established.