title: Erythropoietin for stroke treatment: dead or alive?
abstract: Endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) mobilization from the bone marrow was considered to improve outcome after ischemic stroke. Erythropoietin (EPO) might be a potential candidate stroke drug that increases the number of circulating EPCs. In the previous issue of Critical Care, Yip and colleagues investigated the effect of EPO in stroke patients on both clinical outcome and EPC stimulation. Although beneficial effects of EPO were observed, several issues regarding EPO's suitability as a stroke drug remain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Straße 33, 48149 Münster, Germany. minnerup@uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Minnerup
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wersching
authors.forename: Wolf-Rüdiger
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Schäbitz
mesh_terms: D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006397:Hematinics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D006397:Hematinics; D004921:Erythropoietin