Membrane transferrin receptors (TfR) are essential to supply iron to body tissues. The number of receptors determines the uptake in each tissue. This study was designed to estimate in transfused patients the suppression of erythropoiesis. This was estimated by Hb levels, reticulocyte counts, erythropoietin levels (EPO) (and level of hemoglobin S in SS patients) and TfR. We studied 31 SS patients (SS), 19 SS patients on chronic transfusion (SSTx), 8 thalassemics(Th) and 74 controls (NC). EPO was significantly elevated in all groups when compared with NC. It was most elevated in the SS, but still markedly elevated in the SSTx and in the Th. There was a negative correlation between Hb and EPO levels in SS and SSTx (p<.01 for both groups). TfR was significantly elevated in all groups; it was most elevated in the SS, followed by the SSTx. In the Th TfR was slightly, but still significantly elevated. There was a negative correlation between Hb and TfR levels in SS and SSTx: the lower the Hb level, the higher the TfR (p<.01 for both groups). In the SS TfR and EPO were strongly correlated with the reticulocyte count. In SSTx TfR and EPO were strongly correlatedwith each other. In that group, TfR correlated well with the reticulocytes (p<.01) and HbS% level (p<.01). In SSTx there was a negative correlation of the reticulocytes with Hb level (p<.01) but not in any other group. EPO is an useful indicator of erythropoiesis in SSTx, but not in Th. TfR is an excellent parameter to assess erythopoiesis in all chronically transfused patients. Table

Table 1 No caption available.
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