title: The effect of early recombinant erythropoietin and enteral iron supplementation on blood transfusion in preterm infants.
abstract: Premature infants<1500 g were randomly assigned to study and control groups. In the study group, 42 premature infants received recombinant human erythropoietin (r-Hu EPO) 750 U/kg per week subcutaneously from day 5 to 40 and enteral iron supplementation of 2 to 6 mg/kg/d beginning on day 14 provided that they were receiving at least 50% energy intake orally. In the control group, 51 infants received the same dose of enteral iron supplementation beginning at the end of the fourth week. At the end of a 12-week monitoring period, r-Hu EPO combined with early enteral iron reduced transfusion needs only in the subgroup<1000 g. r-Hu EPO and early iron treatment had no effect on the development of severe retinopathy of prematurity, intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. We suggest that r-Hu EPO combined with early enteral iron is both effective and safe in infants<1000 g.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gülcan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Türker
authors.forename: Nazan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sarper
authors.forename: Ayşe Sevim
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gökalp
authors.forename: Hale
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Usluer
mesh_terms: D000751:Anemia, Neonatal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin