Experience in the use of subcutaneous erythropoietin (EPO) in 32 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients is presented. All patients were treated with oral iron supplements. The total and mean +/- SD durations of EPO treatment were 466 weeks and 14.6 +/- 10.1 weeks respectively. Twenty-two patients started treatment with normal or elevated iron stores; 10 had an initial iron saturation less than 20%. The initial hematocrit was 23.8 +/- 3.7%. Thirteen patients reached a steady-state hematocrit by the end of the study period, when the mean +/- SD hematocrit for all 32 patients was 34.1 +/- 3.6%. All patients responded to EPO. The initial dose of EPO was 147.1 +/- 53.8 U/kg/week. Maintenance dose was 72 +/- 36 U/kg/week.