title: Successful treatment of the anemia of rheumatoid arthritis with subcutaneously administered recombinant human erythropoietin. Slower response in patients with more severe inflammation.
abstract: We performed a 24-week open clinical study in which 12 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and anemia (mean hemoglobin (Hb) value 102 g/l, range 90-109 g/l) were treated with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO). rHuEPO was given as a subcutaneous injection twice weekly with an initial dose of 300 U/kg/week. Nine of the 11 patients who completed the study responded with an increase in Hb value of 15 g/l or more within 3 to 17 weeks. Three months after treatment the Hb levels were significantly lower than the highest Hb levels (p < 0.0001). There was an inverse correlation between the response rate and the mean serum concentrations of C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A protein (p < 0.001 and p < 0.003, respectively). We conclude that rHuEPO can correct anemia in patients with RA, but the response seems to be adversely influenced by the inflammatory activity of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Fourth Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pettersson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rosenlöf
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Friman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mickos
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Teppo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fyhrquist
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000032:analysis; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D005293:Ferritins