title: Effect of high-dose erythropoietin on graft function after kidney transplantation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Current evidence suggests that preconditioning with erythropoietin (EPO) can protect against ischemia reperfusion injury in rodents. However, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy and safety of high-dose EPO in kidney transplantation have yielded inconclusive results. Herein, we performed a meta-analysis of RCTs to assess whether the administration of high-dose EPO can improve graft function and the potential adverse events.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relevant RCT studies that investigated high-dose EPO on graft function after kidney transplantation were comprehensively searched in Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library until July 10, 2014. All statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.0 and STATA 12.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4 RCTs involving 356 patients were identified. Comprehensively, a trend of reduction in the incidence of delayed graft function could be observed in the EPO group (EPO vs. placebo groups: RR=0.88); however, the result did not reach the significance level (95% CI, 0.72-1.08; P=0.21). Furthermore, no significant difference in the incidences of adverse events was observed between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current meta-analysis indicates that the administration of high-dose EPO is, to some extent, prone to protect kidney function without increasing the susceptibility to adverse events.
authors: Center for Renal Transplantation, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China; Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Xin
authors: Center for Renal Transplantation, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China; Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Yu-Zheng
authors: YZ
authors: Ge
authors: Center for Renal Transplantation, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China; Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Ran
authors: R
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University School of Pharmacy, 140 Hanzhong Road, 210029 Nanjing, PR China; Central Laboratory, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Qian
authors: Q
authors: Yin
authors: Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Liu-Hua
authors: LH
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Jiang-Wei
authors: JW
authors: Shen
authors: Center for Renal Transplantation, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China; Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Tian-Ze
authors: TZ
authors: Lu
authors: Center for Renal Transplantation, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China; Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Zhi-Kai
authors: ZK
authors: Hu
authors: Center for Renal Transplantation, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China; Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Wang
authors: Center for Renal Transplantation, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China; Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Chang-Cheng
authors: CC
authors: Zhou
authors: Center for Renal Transplantation, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China; Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Jian-Ping
authors: JP
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Wen-Cheng
authors: WC
authors: Li
authors: Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Jia-Geng
authors: JG
authors: Zhu
authors: Center for Renal Transplantation, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China; Department of Urology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, 68 Changle Road, 210006 Nanjing, PR China. Electronic address: urojiarp@126.com.
authors: Rui-Peng
authors: RP
authors: Jia
mesh_terms: D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D017594:Publication Bias; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D004921:Erythropoietin
keywords: Erythropoietin; Graft function; Kidney transplantation; Meta-analysis