The neuroprotective role of erythropoietin in the management of acute ischaemic stroke: from bench to bedside.
Recombinant human erythropoietin was produced soon after the discovery of the erythropoietin gene in 1985 and since then, it is used in various clinical conditions such as chronic renal failure. Moreover, experimental studies have shown that erythropoietin exerts neuroprotective action as well. Recently, a clinical trial yielded promising results concerning the use of erythropoietin in stroke management. In this review, we summarize the main data which suggest that recombinant human erythropoietin and its analogues may indeed have a role in stroke treatment.
Ntaios
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G
First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, AHEPA Hospital, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece. ntaiosgeorge@yahoo.gr
Savopoulos
C
C
Chatzinikolaou
A
A
Hatzitolios
A I
AI
D000208:Acute Disease / Q000628:therapy; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin