Abstract
In healthy AGA preterm infants (n = 14, B.W. 900-1400 g) who were supplemented from 3 weeks of age with human milk protein (3g/kg/day), iron (18 - 36 mg Fe++/day) and s.c. EPO (Eprex, Cilag, 300IU/kg/week), the anaemia of prematurity was abolished. Control infants (n = 15) also had a marked reticulocyte increase, and Hb was at nadir 9.9 g/dl. (Arch Dis Child, in press.)
To evaluate the EPO response to the anaemia serum immunorcactive EPO (siEPO) levels have been measured in these 29 preterm infants. At study start (3 weeks of age) siEPO was 11.5 mU/ml (range: 6.1-24.3). Normal adults: 15.3 mU/ml (9.5-25.8). In the treated infants siEPO was 59.1 mU/ml (31.9-128.0) 24 hours after sc. injection. At 48 and 72 hours the levels were 19.8 and 10.8 mU/ml respectively. This suggests that EPO injected subcutancously should be given with 48 hour intervals or shorter. In the controls siEPO was significanlly increased 2 weeks after start of nutritional supplements with a mean maximum of 20.5 mU/ml (8.0-50.0) (p< 0.05). SiEPO correlated inversely with Hb. EPO decreased following blood transfusions in the 4 infants transfused. In contrast to previous studies, our results suggest that the hypoxia-crythropoictin mechanism operates in well nourished preterm infants.
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Bechensteen, A., Cotes, P., Hågå, P. et al. SERUM ERYTHROPOIETIN (EPO) CONCENTRATIONS IN WELL NOURISHED PREMATURE INFANTS WITH AND WITHOUT EPO TREATMENT. Pediatr Res 35, 271 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199402000-00099
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199402000-00099