Follow-up of very low birth weight infants after erythropoietin treatment to prevent anemia of prematurity

Objective: Treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) stimulates erythropoiesis and reduces the need for transfusions in hospitalized preterm infants. The aim of our study was to follow very low birth weight infants after the initial 6 weeks of rHuEPO treatment. Design and methods: We randomly assigned 97 very low birth weight infants with a gestational age of 31 weeks or less and birth weight of 1500 gm or less to receive rHuEPO, 300 units/kg per week (erythropoietin [EPO] 300, n = 33), rHuEPO, 750 units/kg per week (EPO 750; n = 28), or no treatment (control, n = 36). The rHuEPO was administered from the first week of life for 6 weeks. After EPO therapy was discontinued, 75 neonates were followed weekly until discharge and at 3, 6, and 12 months of age. Results: Mean numbers (±SD) of packed erythrocyte transfusions per patient from the time rHuEPO therapy was discontinued until discharge were 0.38 ± 0.64 (EPO 300), 0.23 ± 0.52 (EPO 750), 0.9 ± 1.1 (control) ( p