title: Preoperative very short-term, high-dose erythropoietin administration diminishes blood transfusion rate in off-pump coronary artery bypass: a randomized blind controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Human recombinant erythropoietin has been used to obtain a rapid increase in red blood cells before surgery. Previously, the shortest preparatory interval has been 4 days, but at the European Hospital only 2.4 days on average separate hospitalization and surgery. We therefore proposed a randomized blind trial to test the efficacy of high-dose erythropoietin for very short-term administration.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients presenting with a diagnosis of isolated coronary vessel disease were randomized to either erythropoietin therapy or a control group. Patients with a creatinine level greater than 2 mg/dL or hemoglobin level greater than 14.5 g/dL were excluded. Hemoglobin values were collected preoperatively and on postoperative days 1 and 4. Blood loss and blood transfusion rate were recorded at the time of discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We enrolled 320 consecutive patients in the study. No significant difference was found in preoperative parameters, postoperative blood loss, or mean preoperative hemoglobin levels. On postoperative day 4, mean hemoglobin was 15.5% higher in the erythropoietin group (10.70 +/- 0.72 g/dL vs 9.26 +/- 0.71 g/dL; P < .05). This group required 0.33 units of blood per patient, whereas the controls required 0.76 units per patient (risk ratio 0.43, P = .008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant reduction in transfusion rate and a significant increase in hemoglobin values were observed in the erythropoietin group. No adverse events related to erythropoietin administration were recorded. A very short preoperative erythropoietin administration seems to be a safe and easy method to reduce the need for blood transfusions.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Department, European Hospital, Rome, Italy. lweltert@gmail.com
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Weltert
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nardella
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Girola
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bellisario
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maselli
authors.forename: Ruggero
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Paulis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D047549:Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin