Back to Search
Start Over
Administration of recombinant human erythropoietin alpha before autologous stem cell transplantation reduces transfusion requirement in multiple myeloma patients.
- Source :
-
Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer [Support Care Cancer] 2005 Mar; Vol. 13 (3), pp. 182-7. Date of Electronic Publication: 2004 Oct 06. - Publication Year :
- 2005
-
Abstract
- Recombinant human erythropoietin administered after peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) has been ineffective for the treatment of anemia. We administered recombinant human erythropoietin alpha (rHuEPO) prior to high-dose therapy after peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection to evaluate its efficacy on transfusion requirements and hematological parameters during the post-transplant aplastic phase. Twenty-two multiple myeloma patients (EPO-MM) were included in the trial to receive rHuEPO 10,000 IU subcutaneous daily starting 30 days before PBSCT. Forty hemoglobin (Hb)-matched patients who had not received rHuEPO before transplant were retrospectively selected (Ctr-MM) for comparative data. None of the patients received transfusions at study entry. All but one patient responded to rHuEPO. However, no significant differences in Hb levels were obtained between the two groups at the time of transplantation. At nadir, the EPO-MM cases had a significantly higher Hb level (median 10 g/dl versus 7.6 g/d; p=0.001). Consequently, less than 20% of EPO-MM patients required packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions compared to more than half the Ctr-MM patients (p=0.007). Furthermore, the number of PRBC transfusions performed in the EPO-MM group was significantly lower (median 0 versus 1; p=0.008). Independently of Hb levels at PBSCT, rHuEPO therapy was significantly associated with a lower risk of transfusion requirement. In conclusion, rHuEPO is shown to be effective when administered prior to high-dose therapy in MM.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Aged
Case-Control Studies
Combined Modality Therapy
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Multiple Myeloma diagnosis
Multiple Myeloma mortality
Probability
Recombinant Proteins
Risk Assessment
Severity of Illness Index
Statistics, Nonparametric
Survival Rate
Transplantation, Autologous
Treatment Outcome
Blood Transfusion statistics & numerical data
Erythropoietin administration & dosage
Multiple Myeloma therapy
Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation methods
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0941-4355
- Volume :
- 13
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 15480819
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-004-0686-2