Recombinant hemopoietic growth factors: comparative hemopoietic response in younger and older subjects.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effectiveness of hemopoietic growth factors in older patients.


METHODS
Literature review. All articles published in English language between 1987 and 1990 were reviewed. Those reporting studies without age limits as entry criteria and describing the effects of growth factors in individual patients were suitable for analysis. Bone marrow transplantation related articles were excluded.


METHODS
The meanfold increase of granulocytes for Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor, Granulocyte Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor, and Interleukin 3 and of hemoglobin for erythropoietin were compared in subjects younger and older than 65, by Mann-Whitney U test.


RESULTS
Of 68 studies, 23 were suitable for analysis. These included patients with myelodysplastic syndromes, aplastic anemia, chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression, chronic granulocytopenia, anemia, and myelosuppression of malignancies and of chronic disease. Of 204 patients, 67 were 65 years of age or older and 42 were over 70. No difference was seen in meanfold increase of granulocyte and hemoglobin in time of response to growth factors or in response in presence of an absolute neutrophil count lower than 1000/microliters between younger and older patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Early response to hemopoietic growth factors appears well maintained with advanced age. Prospective studies of the prolonged effects of these factors in older and younger patients are needed.
James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa 33612.
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Shank
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Balducci
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000502:physiology; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; D006454:Hemoglobins; D007377:Interleukin-3; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor