Elevated levels of hormone EPO tied to risk of blood clots in SCD: Large study

Higher blood levels of erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone that stimulates the production of red blood cells, increase the risk of blood clot-related, or thrombotic, events in people with sickle cell disease (SCD), according to a study involving more than 500 patients.

Researchers also discovered a relationship between the production of the EPO receptor (EPOR) protein and blood EPO levels, suggesting that EPOR may be a therapeutic target for preventing abnormal blood clotting in SCD.