Conditions: Preterm Infants
Keywords: anemia transfusions erythropoiesis neonate preterm
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 20
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
Preterm infants are a risk for multiple transfusions, and the administration of human recombinant erythropoietin (Epo) has been shown to decrease transfusion requirements. Dosing usually occurs three times a week, but extended dosing schedules have been successful in adults. The investigators assessed weekly Epo dosing in preterm infants compared to standard three times weekly dosing.

Detailed description:
Erythropoietin (Epo) increases and maintains hematocrit using once weekly dosing in adults with anemia due to end stage renal disease. Epo is used in preterm infants to treat the anemia of prematurity, but has not been studied using once weekly dosing. We compared reticulocyte responses of once weekly Epo dosing with thrice weekly dosing in preterm infants.

Infants ≤1,500 grams and ≥7 days of age were randomized to once weekly Epo, 1,200 units/kg/dose, or thrice weekly Epo, 400 units/kg/dose, subcutaneously for 4 weeks, along with iron and vitamin supplementation. Complete blood counts, absolute reticulocyte counts (ARC), transfusions, phlebotomy losses, and adverse events were recorded.

Arms:
arm 1: Epo 400 units/kg three times weekly given subcutaneously for 4 weeks arm 2: 1,200 units/kg given once a week subcutaneously for 4 weeks

Interventions: intervention 1: three times weekly Epo intervention 2: weekly Epo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Epo 400 units/kg administered subcutaneously three times per week for a total of 4 weeks intervention 2: Epo 1,200 units/kg administered subcutaneously once a week for a total of 4 weeks

Protocol document: