PICO Summary: Does erythropoietin (EPO) inibated before 8 days after birth reduce red blood cell transfusions in preterm or low birth weight infants?

✍ Scribed by EBCH Editorial Office

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 66 KB
• Volume: 5
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1557-6272
• DOI: 10.1002/ebch.475

✦ Synopsis

Does erythropoietin (EPO) inibated before 8 days after birth reduce red blood cell transfusions in preterm or low birth weight infants?

Results

Early EPO reduced the risk of the 'use of one or more RBC transfusions' (typical RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.75, 0.86; typical RD 95% CI; NNT 7(6-11); 16 studies, 1825 infants). Early EPO led to a significant reduction in the total volume (ml/kg) of blood transfused per infant and in the number of transfusions per infant. Two studies (n = 188) reported a significant reduction in the number of donors to whom the infant was exposed. There was a significant increase in the risk of stage ≥3 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in the early EPO group (typical RR 1.65, 95% CI 1.12, 2.43; typical RD 95% CI; NNH 20(12-100); eight studies, 984 infants). The rates for mortality and other neonatal morbidities were not significantly changed by early EPO treatment nor were neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 to 22 months in the small number of infants tested to-date.