title: The efficacy and safety of once-weekly and once-fortnightly subcutaneous epoetin beta in peritoneal dialysis patients with chronic renal anaemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reducing the dosage frequency of subcutaneous epoetin in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is convenient and should improve patient satisfaction and, possibly, compliance. We investigated if a weekly dosage of epoetin beta in PD patients safely maintained haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations equivalent to those obtained with previous twice- or thrice-weekly administration. In addition, we investigated if a fortnightly dosage of epoetin beta was safe and as effective as previous weekly administration.
  
  
  METHODS
  After a 4 week run-in period, PD patients were switched to either weekly or fortnightly epoetin beta administration, depending on their previous treatment schedules, for 25 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The per-protocol cohort included 128 patients, of whom 54 received epoetin beta once weekly and 74 once fortnightly. The mean change in Hb concentration from baseline over weeks 13-25 and the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) remained within the target range (10-12 g/dl) and specified equivalence (+/-0.75 g/dl) limits in the weekly (-0.34 g/dl; 90% CI: -0.14 to -0.54 g/dl) and fortnightly (-0.39 g/dl; 90% CI: -0.24 to -0.55 g/dl) cohorts. The mean change from baseline in the epoetin beta dose was 1.4 IU/kg/week (90% CI: -3.8 to 6.6 IU/kg/week; 2%) in the weekly cohort and 4.4 IU/kg/week (90% CI: 1.7-7.2 IU/kg/week; 13%) in the fortnightly cohort. Both treatment regimens were well tolerated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In stable PD patients switched from twice- or thrice-weekly to weekly epoetin beta treatment, Hb concentrations could be maintained within the specified range over 25 weeks without significant change in their mean epoetin beta doses. In patients switched from weekly to fortnightly treatment, Hb concentrations could also be maintained over 25 weeks. There was a small increase in the mean dose during this period, but >/=50% of patients could be maintained without dose increase. Reducing dosage frequency may improve compliance in PD patients who self-administer their epoetin.
authors.affiliation: Silesian School of Medicine, Internal Medicine, Diabetology and Nephrology, 3-Maja 13/15 str, Zabrze 41-800, Poland. wgrzeszczak@slam.katowice.pl
authors.forename: Wladyslaw
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grzeszczak
authors.forename: Wladyslaw
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sulowicz
authors.forename: Boleslaw
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rutkowski
authors.forename: Amedeo F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: de Vecchi
authors.forename: Renzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scanziani
authors.forename: Pierre-Yves
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Durand
authors.forename: Auxiliadora
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bajo
authors.forename: Vassilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vargemezis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C103998:epoetin beta; D004921:Erythropoietin