Theophylline for erythrocytosis after renal transplantation

To the Editor: As was noted in the article on the use of theophylline to treat erythrocytosis in renal-transplant recipients (July 12 issue),¹ theophylline suppresses the production of erythropoietin in both normal subjects and renal-transplant recipients with increased red-cell mass due to elevated levels of erythropoietin production and release. The use of theophylline allowed patients with such erythrocytosis to avoid weekly phlebotomy. A large percentage of preterm infants have apnea, and the current treatment of choice in most clinical settings is theophylline.² These same infants often have clinically important anemia of prematurity, requiring frequent transfusions.³ It has been suggested that.