Nine pts, aged 4-20 years (mean 12) with chronic uremic anaemia (mean Hb 5.8 g/dl, range 5.0-7.0 g/dl) on regular thrice-weekly haemodialysis, were treated with human recombinant erythropoietin (rh-uEPO) for a mean of 28.11 weeks (range 4-48). To attain a target Hb concentration (9.6-11.2 g/dl) RH-uEPO (Cilag) was administered i.v. after each dialysis in increasing doses within the range (51-300 U/kg/week). All pts were treated with persantine. Five pts needed iron supplementation. All pts showed increased Hb concentration and none of 6 previously transfusion dependent pts needed further transfusions after the first week of rH-uEPO. Pretreatment long-term dialyzed, polytransfused and iron overloaded pts, even when treated with lower doses of rH-EPO, responded better, reaching target Hb level from the 8th- to the 16th week. Three of 4 highly sensitized pts on rH-EPO treatment had a significant decrease of cytotoxic antibody titre, and 2 were successfully transplanted. rH-EPO also significantly improved the life quality in all pts. No pts developed any serious side affects. There was a transient increase in BP (2 pts) and transaminase with eosinophilia (4 pts).