title: Impact of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents on Behavioral Measures in Children Born Preterm.
abstract: To evaluate the impact of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) administered during initial hospitalization and family demographic factors on behavior at 3.5-4 years of age.
  
  
  
  Children were enrolled who had previously participated in a randomized study of ESAs (n = 35) or placebo (n = 14) in infants born preterm with birth weights of 500-1250 g. A term healthy control group (n = 22) also was recruited. Behavior was evaluated by parent report with the Behavioral Assessment System of Children-2. Principal component analyses identified 2 demographic factors, a Socioeconomic Composite (SEC) and a Family Stress Composite. A multivariate general linear model evaluated the impact of study group and sex on the 4 composite scales of the Behavioral Assessment System of Children-2. Demographic factors were treated as covariates and interactions with study group (ESA, placebo, and term) were examined.
  
  
  
  The ESA group had significantly better scores than the placebo group on behavioral symptoms (P = .04) and externalizing scales (P = .04). An interaction was observed between study group and SEC (P = .001). A beneficial effect of ESAs was maximal in the children with lower SEC scores.
  
  
  
  The beneficial effects of ESAs on childhood behavior were maximal in children with lower SEC scores. ESAs seemed to ameliorate the adverse impact of lower SEC on behavioral domains seen in the placebo group. This effect was independent of the beneficial effect of ESAs on global cognition we reported previously.
  
  
  
  ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01207778 and NCT00334737.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: Jean R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: Rebecca E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Rieger
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: Natalia C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: Ronald A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
authors.forename: Shrena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
authors.forename: Shawna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gonzales
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM. Electronic address: rohls@salud.unm.edu.
authors.forename: Robin K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Ohls
mesh_terms: D002652:Child Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006397:Hematinics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D006397:Hematinics; D004921:Erythropoietin; D000068256:Darbepoetin alfa
keywords: cognitive development; darbepoetin; erythropoietin; neurodevelopmental outcome; very low birth weight