title: Subcutaneous low-dose epoetin beta for the avoidance of transfusion in patients scheduled for elective surgery not eligible for autologous blood donation.
abstract: This randomized, multicentre, parallel-group study assessed the efficacy of epoetin beta in reducing the transfusion frequency in patients ineligible for autologous blood donation prior to surgery. The patients (n = 194) received either epoetin beta (125 or 250 IU/kg, once weekly) or no therapy for 3-4 weeks before surgery. The pre-operation haemoglobin levels were markedly increased in the epoetin beta groups (125 IU/kg: +1.1 g/dl; 250 IU/kg: +1.6 g/dl), but not in the control group. The transfusion frequency was significantly reduced in both epoetin groups as compared with the control group (p = 0.046). Epoetin beta was well tolerated, and no serious adverse events were observed. Low-dose administration of epoetin beta before elective surgery reduces the transfusion frequencies in patients not eligible for autologous blood donation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Vienna, Austria. christian.wurnig@oss.at
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wurnig
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schatz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noske
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hemon
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dahlberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Josefsson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milbrink
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hamard
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007501:Iron / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012449:Safety; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C103998:epoetin beta; D004921:Erythropoietin; D007501:Iron