title: Recombinant human erythropoietin in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and refractory anemia: a 15-year single center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe our 15-year experience on the patients' response and safety to the use of EPO in IBD patients with refractory anemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single center retrospective chart analysis of all IBD patients receiving EPO for the period 1994-2009. Patients with resistant anemia not responding to I.V. iron therapy were enrolled. Concommitant medication, medical and laboratory data on short and long-term patients' responses and safety were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total 820 IBD files were reviewed and among 78 patients treated with I.V. iron we identified 26 patients who received EPO in concordance to our inclusion criteria. Azathioprine or methotrexate was administered in 17 patients and 7 patients received concomitant Infliximab. After EPO, 22/26 patients (84.6%) responded and peripheral blood parameters were significantly improved and blood transfusions were significantly decreased (p<0.001). Erythropoietin dose was increased in three non-responders while two patients required emergency transfusions. No adverse events were recorded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In anemic IBD patients who are refractory to I.V. iron monotherapy, administration of EPO significantly improved peripheral blood parameters with safety. Prospective controlled trials are needed to confirm positive patients' response to EPO and identify those patients who are more likely to benefit.
authors.affiliation: 1st Department of Internal Medicine & Hepato-Gastroenterology Unit, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Katsanos
authors.forename: Athina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tatsioni
authors.forename: Dimitra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Natsi
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sigounas
authors.forename: Dimitrios K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Christodoulou
authors.forename: Epameinondas V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Tsianos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000753:Anemia, Refractory / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: C554270:EPO protein, human; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin