title: Potential of epoetin alfa in patients in autologous blood donation programs for orthopedic surgery.
abstract: The ability of epoetin alfa to increase hematopoiesis in a dose-dependent manner when administered by the intravenous (i.v.) or subcutaneous (s.c.) route has been demonstrated in pharmacokinetic studies in healthy volunteers. Epoetin alfa may therefore be a useful adjunct to autologous blood (AB) donation. By facilitating AB donation, the use of allogeneic blood could be reduced. In patients scheduled to undergo orthopedic surgery, i.v. administration of epoetin alfa 600 IU/kg twice weekly for 3 weeks prior to surgery (in conjunction with oral iron supplementation) significantly increased the number of AB units and total red blood cell (RBC) volume donated and increased the number of patients able to donate > or = 4 AB units. However, there was no difference between epoetin alfa and placebo groups with respect to allogeneic blood exposure.
authors.affiliation: Regional Blood Transfusion Centre, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McClelland
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous / Q000191:economics; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa; D004920:Erythropoiesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005296:Ferrous Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D009985:Orthopedics; D011292:Premedication; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D005296:Ferrous Compounds; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; C020748:ferrous sulfate; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa