title: Comparison of recombinant human erythropoietin and darbepoetin alpha in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim was to compare the clinical efficacy of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) and darbepoetin alpha (DA) in the treatment of anemia in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four (13 female, 21 male) CKD patients were enrolled in the study. Mean age was 11.42 ± 4.05 years. Nine patients were on hemodialysis, 18 were on peritoneal dialysis and seven patients were in CKD stage 4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen patients received rHuEPO and the remaining 17 patients received DA. Hemoglobin (Hb) was not significantly different between the two groups during monthly follow up and at the end of 6 months (P > 0.05), but there was a significant increase within each group at the end of 6 months (P = 0.01 for rHuEPO; P = 0.02 for DA). Hb was not different between the patients on and not on dialysis in both groups at the end of the study (P > 0.05). The efficacy of the s.c. and i.v. routes was similar within each group (P > 0.05). Systolic hypertension was observed in only one patient in the DA group, no other adverse effect was observed in either groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DA is a reasonable alternative to rHuEPO in the treatment of anemia in pediatric CKD patients, due to its clinical efficacy, convenience of use, patient compliance and tolerability.
authors: Pediatric Nephrology Department, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Ceren
authors: C
authors: Can
authors: Sevinç
authors: S
authors: Emre
authors: Ilmay
authors: I
authors: Bilge
authors: Alev
authors: A
authors: Yilmaz
authors: Aydan
authors: A
authors: Şirin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006397:Hematinics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006452:Hemoglobinometry; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D006397:Hematinics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa