ABSTRACT
Anemia is a common complication in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and it increases in prevalence with advancing disease stage. In addition to being costly to treat, anemia is associated with a variety of adverse clinical consequences including death, hospitalizations, and the development and progression of cardiovascular risk factors such as le ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).1-3 e introduction of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in the late 1980s revolutionized anemia management by decreasing the need for red blood cell transfusions in patients with CKD. However, there is increasing concern about potential adverse eects of treatment with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). Anemia management in children continues to focus on avoiding transfusions by correction of iron deciency and the use of ESAs. is chapter reviews the denition, risk factors, and pathophysiology of anemia in children with CKD, with specic attention to current therapeutic strategies and ongoing challenges in its management. e Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) workgroup published an evidence-based clinical practice guideline for anemia in chronic kidney disease.4
