title: Comparison between two treatment protocols with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) in the treatment of late anemia in neonates with Rh-isoimmunization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  [corrected] The Rh-hemolytic disease can lead to a late anemia by hemolytic and hyporigenerative mechanism. We compared the effectiveness of rHuEPO in two care protocols that differ for doses of rHuEPO administrated and for timing of administration.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 14 neonates was investigated. The neonates were treated with two different protocols. Protocol A: a dose of 200 U/kg/day of rHuEpo administered subcutaneously starting from the end of the second week of life; Protocol B: a dose of 400 U/kg/day of rHuEpo administered subcutaneously starting from the end of the first week of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The hematocrit values in the protocol A group decreased during treatment (32,5% vs 25,2%), whereas the hematocrit value in protocol B group remained almost stable (38,7% vs 42,8%). The mean numbers of platelets remained stable in both groups while neutrophils increased in protocol A group and decreased in protocol B (p<0,05). Reticulocyte count increased during treatment in both groups, although only in protocol B group it was statistically significative (p<0,05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest a similar efficacy between the two treatment protocols. Increasing doses of rHuEPO do not seem enhancing their effectiveness and the incidence of side effects.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Pediatria, Divisione di Neonatologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma. zuppaaa@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zuppa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alighieri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fracchiolla
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Catenazzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Antuono
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riccardi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cavani
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000751:Anemia, Neonatal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D017701:Reticulocyte Count; D012203:Rh Isoimmunization / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004921:Erythropoietin