title: Therapeutic use of continuous subcutaneous infusion of recombinant human erythropoietin in malnourished predialysis anemic patients with diabetic nephropathy.
abstract: We compared the effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) administration by continuous s.c. infusion (CSI) with that of a weekly bolus s.c. injection (SBI) in five malnourished predialysis anemic patients with diabetic nephropathy. rhEPO was either continuously infused at a flow rate of 6000 IU per week (36 IU/h) (CSI group) or injected s.c. at a dose of 6000 IU once a week (SBI group) for 4 weeks, in a cross-over comparative study with a washout period of 4 weeks. Mean+/-S.D. plasma EPO levels increased from a basal value of 18.0+/-4.9 mIU/ml to a steady state value of 70.5+/-38.9 mIU/ml 2 weeks after the start of CSI of rhEPO (P < 0.05). Increases in reticulocyte count above the basal value were greater in the CSI group than the SBI group at 3 weeks after the start of treatment (0.94+/-0.35% vs -0.03+/-0.46%, P < 0.05). Increases in Hb concentration above the basal value were much greater in the CSI group than the SBI group at 4 weeks after the start of treatment (2.56+/-0.77 g/dl vs 0.28+/-0.62 g/dl, P < 0.05). These findings suggest that rhEPO administration by CSI is more effective than by SBI for improving anemia in malnourished predialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Shimane Medical University, Izumo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sohmiya
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kakiba
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D017701:Reticulocyte Count
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D007501:Iron