Recombinant human erythropoietin improves functional recovery in patients with severe traumatic brain injury: A randomized, double blind and controlled clinical trial.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the short-term effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) on patients with severe traumatic brain injury.


METHODS
One hundred and fifty-nine patients with severe traumatic brain injury were randomly divided into EPO (n=79) and control group (n=80). EPO group was treated with subcutaneous injection of EPO (100 units/kg) on day 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 following the brain injury. Glasgow outcome scores (GOS) were used to evaluate the outcomes three months after the treatment. Serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) and S-100β protein were measured within the first three months after treatment.


RESULTS
In the end, 146 patients (75 of the EPO group and 71 of the control group) completed the trial. Three months after the treatment, Good recovery was found in 33.3% of the EPO and 12.6% of the control group patients (p<0.05). Serum NSE and S-100β protein were decreased gradually in both groups after treatment, but their levels in the EPO group were lower than that of control group (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in blood pressure, hemoglobin levels, pneumonia, sepsis or thromboembolic events between the two groups three months after the treatment (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with five doses of recombinant human erythropoietin is associated with an improved functional recovery in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. This treatment does not seem to increase the risk of thromboembolic events or severe infections.
Department of Neurosurgery, Liaocheng People's Hospital of Taishan Medical University, Liaocheng, Shandong, 252000, PR China.
Zhong-Min
ZM
Li
Department of Neurosurgery, Liaocheng People's Hospital of Taishan Medical University, Liaocheng, Shandong, 252000, PR China.
Yi-Lei
YL
Xiao
Department of Neurosurgery, Liaocheng People's Hospital of Taishan Medical University, Liaocheng, Shandong, 252000, PR China.
Jian-Xin
JX
Zhu
Department of Neurosurgery, Liaocheng People's Hospital of Taishan Medical University, Liaocheng, Shandong, 252000, PR China.
Feng-Yang
FY
Geng
Department of Neurosurgery, Liaocheng People's Hospital of Taishan Medical University, Liaocheng, Shandong, 252000, PR China.
Chuan-Jun
CJ
Guo
Department of Neurosurgery, Liaocheng People's Hospital of Taishan Medical University, Liaocheng, Shandong, 252000, PR China.
Zong-Lei
ZL
Chong
School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia. Electronic address: lwang@csu.edu.au.
Le-Xin
LX
Wang
D000328:Adult; D000070642:Brain Injuries, Traumatic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D020127:Recovery of Function; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit / Q000097:blood
C554270:EPO protein, human; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D004921:Erythropoietin; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase
Erythropoietin; Neurological function; Neuron specific enolase; Severe traumatic brain injury; Thromboembolic events