title: Neuroprotection with erythropoietin in preterm and/or low birth weight infants.
abstract: Neonatal brain injury caused by extreme prematurity remains a great challenge for prevention. Erythropoietin (EPO) has shown neuroprotective effects in a series of neonatal experimental models and recent clinical trials of premature infants. In this meta-analysis of seven clinical trials, EPO was associated with a highly reproducible reduction in the risk of neurodevelopmental disability in preterm infants. However, there was no difference in the risk for morbidity, cerebral palsy, visual deficit, severe hearing deficit, necrotizing enterocolitis, intracranial hemorrhage and patent ductus arteriosus. The use of EPO, to some extent, is associated with reduction in neurodevelopmental disability in preterm infants. More double blind randomized controlled trials are needed to establish the best therapeutic approach for neuroprotection in preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, 438 Jiefang Road, Zhenjiang 212001, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, 438 Jiefang Road, Zhenjiang 212001, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Qiuxia
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, 438 Jiefang Road, Zhenjiang 212001, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, 438 Jiefang Road, Zhenjiang 212001, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, 438 Jiefang Road, Zhenjiang 212001, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, 438 Jiefang Road, Zhenjiang 212001, Jiangsu Province, PR China. Electronic address: lhy5154@163.com.
authors.forename: Hongyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000517:prevention & control; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D004921:Erythropoietin
keywords: Brain injury; Erythropoietin; Low birth weight infants; Neonates; Neurodevelopmental outcome