A patient with chronic renal failure is examined by the nurse practitioner for anemia. The nurse knows to review the laboratory data for a decreased hemoglobin level, red blood cell count, and which of the following?
a) Decreased level of erythropoietin
b) Increased mean corpuscular volume
c) Decreased total iron-binding capacity
d) Increased reticulocyte count
Answer: Decreased level of erythropoietin