Effect of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin on the Anemia of Premature Infants

Lee, Young Ah; Kim, Ki Soo; Park, Young Seo; Moon, Hyung Nam; Hong, Chang Yee

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.