Effect of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin on the Anemia of Premature Infants

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine whether the prophylactic treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin(rHuEPO) for the anemia of prematurity would reduce the need for blood transfusions. METHODS: We randomly assigned 17 premature infants to the rHuEPO group and the control group. For the rHuEPO group (n=9, birth weight=1210+/-156 g, gestational age=31.7+/-1.9 wk), rHuEPO (400 U/kg) was given three times a week for 4 weeks, plus iron (8 mg/kg/day) and vitamin E (25 IU/day). The same amount of vitamin E was only given for the control group (n=8, birth weight=1266+/-204 g, gestational age=30.0+/-1.9 wk). RESULTS: Reticulocyte counts and hematocrit values were higher in the rHuEPO group than the control group at the 4 week of study (10.0+/-1.5 % vs. 5.5+/-2.1 % p<0.05 and 25.6+/-4.0 % vs.31.0+/-1.5 % p<0.05). Also, hemoglobin F were higher in the rHuEPO group than the control group at the 4 week of study (76.2+/-8.1 % vs.27.2+/-33.3 % p<0.05). The rHuEPO treatment group required fewer blood transfusions during the study period (1.25 vs. 0.11 p<0.05). And the complications such as leukopenia, thrombocytosis and infection did not develop during the study period. There was no evidence of iron deficiency state in the both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The rHuEPO treatment, in combination with iron supplementation, prevented the anemia of prematurity and reduced the need for blood transfusion in the premature infants.