Early versus late erythropoietin for preventing red blood cell transfusion in preterm and/or low birth weight infants

Erythropoietin Does Not Protect Against Neurodevelopmental Deficits in Early Preterm Infants

“…Specifically, in contrast to previous meta-analyses, treatment with erythropoietin did not result in a higher rate or greater severity of retinopathy of prematurity than placebo. [38][39][40] No other safety concerns arose in this trial -a finding similar to that in the other published studies of erythropoietin for neuroprotection in neonates. 14 In post hoc analyses, we found that the erythropoietin dosing regimen used in PENUT stimulated erythropoiesis, as evidenced by the lower number and lower volume of transfusions and the lower exposure to blood donors in the erythropoietin group than in the placebo group.…”

Erythropoietin Does Not Protect Against Neurodevelopmental Deficits in Early Preterm Infants

“…Specifically, in contrast to previous meta-analyses, treatment with erythropoietin did not result in a higher rate or greater severity of retinopathy of prematurity than placebo. [38][39][40] No other safety concerns arose in this trial -a finding similar to that in the other published studies of erythropoietin for neuroprotection in neonates. 14 In post hoc analyses, we found that the erythropoietin dosing regimen used in PENUT stimulated erythropoiesis, as evidenced by the lower number and lower volume of transfusions and the lower exposure to blood donors in the erythropoietin group than in the placebo group.…”

How to administrate erythropoietin, intravenous or subcutaneous?

“…However, a recent meta‐analysis, aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of early versus late initiation of rhEPO in reducing blood transfusions in preterm infants, concluded that the use of early rhEPO did not significantly reduce the need of transfusions compared with late rhEPO administration. The most concerning finding of this meta‐analysis was a statistically significant increased risk of any grade ROP and a similar trend for ROP stage >3 with early rhEPO treatment .…”

A Comparison of Once- and Thrice-Weekly Erythropoietin Dosing for the Treatment of Anaemia of Prematurity

“…Although several studies have associated exogenous EPO therapy with the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a recent meta-analysis indicated insufficient evidence for such a relationship. [11][12][13][14] Our study did not show a significant difference in the ROP rates between groups and these cases were all non-threshold diseases. The incidence of ROP in our unit has remained low despite an active EPO use policy for AOP when benchmarked against most of the centres in the Vermont-Oxford Neonatal Network.…”

Erythropoietin Does Not Protect Against Neurodevelopmental Deficits in Early Preterm Infants

“…Specifically, in contrast to previous meta-analyses, treatment with erythropoietin did not result in a higher rate or greater severity of retinopathy of prematurity than placebo. [38][39][40] No other safety concerns arose in this trial -a finding similar to that in the other published studies of erythropoietin for neuroprotection in neonates. 14 In post hoc analyses, we found that the erythropoietin dosing regimen used in PENUT stimulated erythropoiesis, as evidenced by the lower number and lower volume of transfusions and the lower exposure to blood donors in the erythropoietin group than in the placebo group.…”

How to administrate erythropoietin, intravenous or subcutaneous?

“…However, a recent meta‐analysis, aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of early versus late initiation of rhEPO in reducing blood transfusions in preterm infants, concluded that the use of early rhEPO did not significantly reduce the need of transfusions compared with late rhEPO administration. The most concerning finding of this meta‐analysis was a statistically significant increased risk of any grade ROP and a similar trend for ROP stage >3 with early rhEPO treatment .…”

A Comparison of Once- and Thrice-Weekly Erythropoietin Dosing for the Treatment of Anaemia of Prematurity

“…Although several studies have associated exogenous EPO therapy with the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a recent meta-analysis indicated insufficient evidence for such a relationship. [11][12][13][14] Our study did not show a significant difference in the ROP rates between groups and these cases were all non-threshold diseases. The incidence of ROP in our unit has remained low despite an active EPO use policy for AOP when benchmarked against most of the centres in the Vermont-Oxford Neonatal Network.…”

Erythropoietin Does Not Protect Against Neurodevelopmental Deficits in Early Preterm Infants

“…Specifically, in contrast to previous meta-analyses, treatment with erythropoietin did not result in a higher rate or greater severity of retinopathy of prematurity than placebo. [38][39][40] No other safety concerns arose in this trial -a finding similar to that in the other published studies of erythropoietin for neuroprotection in neonates. 14 In post hoc analyses, we found that the erythropoietin dosing regimen used in PENUT stimulated erythropoiesis, as evidenced by the lower number and lower volume of transfusions and the lower exposure to blood donors in the erythropoietin group than in the placebo group.…”

How to administrate erythropoietin, intravenous or subcutaneous?

“…However, a recent meta‐analysis, aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of early versus late initiation of rhEPO in reducing blood transfusions in preterm infants, concluded that the use of early rhEPO did not significantly reduce the need of transfusions compared with late rhEPO administration. The most concerning finding of this meta‐analysis was a statistically significant increased risk of any grade ROP and a similar trend for ROP stage >3 with early rhEPO treatment .…”

A Comparison of Once- and Thrice-Weekly Erythropoietin Dosing for the Treatment of Anaemia of Prematurity

“…Although several studies have associated exogenous EPO therapy with the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a recent meta-analysis indicated insufficient evidence for such a relationship. [11][12][13][14] Our study did not show a significant difference in the ROP rates between groups and these cases were all non-threshold diseases. The incidence of ROP in our unit has remained low despite an active EPO use policy for AOP when benchmarked against most of the centres in the Vermont-Oxford Neonatal Network.…”