The Preventive Effects of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin on the Anemia of Premature Birth Infant / 中华围产医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To assess the preventive effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHu EPO) on the anemia of premature birth infant. To determine whether prophylactic treatment with rHu EPO and iron would reduce the postnatal hemoglobin (Hb) decline and blood transfusion of premature infants. Methods Fifty one infants of less than 35 weeks of gestation and 2000 g of birth weight from multicenter were randomly assigned to EPO group ( n =31) and control group ( n =20). Infants in EPO group received rHuEPO 250 IU/(kg?t) intravenously or subcutaneously once every second day, started between 2 and 10 days of age, maintained for 4 weeks. Oral iron and vitamin E supplements were given to all infants. Hb, hematocrit (Hct), reticulocyte counts (Ret), serum iron and erythropoietin (EPO) were detected in both groups. Results Postnatal decline of Hb and Hct were less in EPO group than that in the control group at the end of study (129.9?21.0 vs 103.2?14.3, P