EPO Dosing Calculator

Erythropoietin dose from hemoglobin and target level.

Medical Disclaimer

This calculator is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of results from this tool.

Inputs

Weight (kg)

Current Hemoglobin (g/dL)

Target Hemoglobin (g/dL)

Transferrin Saturation (%)

Ferritin (ng/mL)

Tab to move between fields

Results

Epoetin alfa (units/week)

5,600

Epoetin per HD Session1,867 units

Darbepoetin alfa (mcg/week)28

Iron Replete (1=Yes, 0=No)0

Estimated Iron Deficit752 mg

ESA Resistance Index8.9

How to Use This Calculator

Enter patient weight (kg), current hemoglobin (g/dL), and target hemoglobin (g/dL).
Enter transferrin saturation (TSAT %) and ferritin (ng/mL) to assess iron status.
Read the recommended weekly epoetin alfa dose (units/week) and per-session dose for thrice-weekly HD.
Check iron replete status: ESA therapy should not start until TSAT >20% and ferritin >200 ng/mL.
Review ESA Resistance Index (ERI): ERI >20 may indicate hypo-responsiveness requiring evaluation.

How the result changes with Current Hemoglobin (g/dL)

Current Hemoglobin (g/dL)	Epoetin alfa (units/week)
4.7	7,000
8.95	5,600
14	2,625
18	2,625

What each input means

Weight (kg): Patient body weight.
Current Hemoglobin (g/dL): Current hemoglobin level.
Target Hemoglobin (g/dL): KDIGO target 10-11.5 g/dL, not to exceed 13.
Transferrin Saturation (%): TSAT: target > 20% before starting ESA.
Ferritin (ng/mL): Serum ferritin: target > 200 for HD patients.

What each result means

Epoetin alfa (units/week): Recommended weekly epoetin alfa dose.
Epoetin per HD Session: Per-session dose for thrice-weekly hemodialysis.
Darbepoetin alfa (mcg/week): Equivalent weekly darbepoetin alfa dose.
Iron Replete (1=Yes, 0=No): Whether iron stores are sufficient to support ESA therapy.
Estimated Iron Deficit: Ganzoni formula estimate of iron needed.
ESA Resistance Index: ERI = dose/kg/Hgb. High ERI (>20) suggests ESA hypo-responsiveness.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

Identify Input Parameters
4 parameters
Weight (kg) = 70, Current Hemoglobin (g/dL) = 9, Target Hemoglobin (g/dL) = 10.5, Transferrin Saturation (%) = 15 = 5 input(s) provided
Calculate Epoetin alfa
Epoetin alfa = 80 * weight
5600 = 5600
Calculate Epoetin per HD Session
Epoetin per HD Session = round(epoetinWeeklyUnits / 3)
1867 = 1867
Calculate Darbepoetin alfa
Darbepoetin alfa = epoetinWeeklyUnits / 200
28 = 28