Background: Posttransplant polycythemia (PTP) affects 6-30% of renal transplant recipients and can result in thromboembolic disease. The pathogenesis of PTP remains unknown and may be multifactorial. Although phlebotomy has previously been the treatment for PTP, drugs such as adenosine receptor antagonists or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors can be used to control PTP.
Methods: The authors performed a prospective study of two different drugs to treat PTP: aminophylline and enalapril. Twenty-seven patients with PTP lasting more than 6 months were evaluated. During phase 1, aminophylline was compared with enalapril. The patients sequentially received aminophylline and enalapril during 12-week periods, intercalated by 12-week periods of no drugs. During phase 2, enalapril was administered for 12 weeks.
Results: From January 1984 to December 1993, 110 of 333 patients with PTP lasting more than 6 months (33%) developed polycythemia, and 27 patients were included in the present study. In phase 1, aminophylline had no effect on PTP. Enalapril promoted an erythropoiesis inhibition, characterized by a decrease in hematocrit and an increase in iron stores and ferritin levels. After withdrawal of enalapril, the hematocrit increased and the iron stores decreased. In phase 2, there was a progressive reduction in hematocrit after the 4th week of therapy. The lowest hematocrit was observed in the 12th week and then enalapril was stopped, leading to a subsequent rise in hematocrit. Erythropoietin levels and renal function remained constant during all periods of both phases of the study.
Conclusion: The use of adenosine antagonists was ineffective to treat PTP in our series. However, treatment with enalapril promoted an erythropoiesis inhibition, demonstrated by a reduction in hematocrit, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, and reticulocyte count, associated with an increase in iron stores. This response occurred independently from erythropoietin levels or hemodynamic graft changes.