ABSTRACT
A double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled study was performed with 62 patients undergoing orthopedic hip surgery. Mean hemoglobin levels at surgery, after four weekly blood-donations were 12.3, 12.7 and 13.9 g/dL for the patients receiving placebo, 100 and 200 IU/kg r-hu EPO respectively, via the subcutaneous route. The groups receiving r-hu EPO were operated on without any homologous blood supply. The endogenous erythropoietin levels remained stable throughout the observation period in the treatment groups, whereas they increased in the placebo group. The study confirms the known efficacy of erythropoietin in preoperative autologous blood-donation, but the ideal dose for each individual patient remains to be defined.
Subject(s)
Blood Transfusion, Autologous/methods , Erythropoietin/therapeutic use , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Blood Component Removal/methods , Blood Loss, Surgical/prevention & control , Erythropoietin/blood , Female , Hip Prosthesis , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Preoperative Care , Surgical Procedures, OperativeABSTRACT
Necrotizing arteritis and periarteritis were found in Beagle and German Shepherd dogs treated for 13 or 52 weeks with the novel benzodiazepine receptor (BZR) partial agonist Ro 16-6028 (generic name bretazenil). Eight male and one female out of a total of 20 dogs treated with 40-60 mg/kg/day Ro 16-6028 developed the arteritis, predominantly in the heart or the epididymis. Two of these animals died prematurely following treatment at the initial dosing levels of 80 and 55 mg/kg/day; one of these two dogs was asymptomatic and in good general condition until death. Clinically, all but one of the dogs showed sedation, ataxia, stiff gait, body weight-loss and a deterioration of the general condition as well as changes of some laboratory parameters. No signs of arteritis and untoward clinical or laboratory findings were seen at lower doses. Possible aetiologies, as well as the mechanisms involved in arteritis in general and the genetic disposition of beagles in particular for this type of effect, are discussed. Reflections on the potential risk to man of this so far unknown finding after oral treatment with 1,4-benzodiazepines (BZs) are presented.
