BACKGROUND Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) stimulate formation of red blood cells by binding to and activating Epo receptors (EpoR) on erythroid progenitor cells. Beyond successful treatment of anemia, ESAs have been reported to reduce damage following insult to organs, including the kidney, possibly via direct activation of EpoR. However, data on ESA effects outside hematopoietic func...

BACKGROUND Anemia is common in non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (NDD-CKD) patients, but detailed information on prevalence and treatment is lacking. METHODS We evaluated anemia prevalence and treatment using two datasets: the Medicare 20% random sample (ages 66-85 years), and the Truven Health MarketScan database (ages 18-63 years). We selected stage 3-5 NDD-CKD patients with and...

Element Stewardship Abstracts (ESAs) are prepared to provide The Nature Conservancy's Stewardship staff and other land managers with current management-related information on those species and communities that are most important to protect, or most important to control. The abstracts organize and summarize data from numerous sources including literature and researchers and managers actively wor...

I write this editorial in deference to the many experts who devote their careers to this important field. In this editorial, I simply report the journeyman route of a medical oncologist who is desperately trying to improve the outcomes of women suffering from breast cancer. At the end of the 1990s, there was much hope that erythropoie-sis stimulating agents (ESAs) would improve the survival of ...

BACKGROUND We previously reported decreased transfusions and donor exposures in preterm infants randomized to Darbepoetin (Darbe) or erythropoietin (Epo) compared with placebo. As these erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) have shown promise as neuroprotective agents, we hypothesized improved neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 to 22 months among infants randomized to receive ESAs. METHODS ...

BACKGROUND Pentoxifylline (PTX) is a promising therapeutic approach for reducing inflammation and improving anemia associated to various systemic disorders. However, whether this agent may be helpful for anemia management also in CKD patients is still object of debate. STUDY DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis. POPULATION Adults with CKD (any KDOQI stage, including ESKD patients on r...

Background To identify symptom clusters in a subgroup of patients reporting exclusively non-zero Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) scores at baseline, and to compare clusters with those identified in the total patient population. Secondary objective was to determine whether symptom clusters in patients with bone metastases vary when extracted using different statistical methods. Metho...

Prior to the commencement of administration of ESAs, appropriate iron indices should be ensured. In addition, efforts should be made to control hyperparathyroidism, aluminium accumulation and/or significant systemic inflammation. Blood pressure levels should be controlled according to standard guidelines. For any individual patient who may require ESA therapy, the potential benefits must be bal...

Small-molecule stabilizers of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) are being developed for the treatment of renal anaemia. These molecules inhibit prolyl hydroxylase domaincontaining (PHD) enzymes, resulting in HIF activation and increased production of erythropoietin. Currently, renal anaemia is treated with recombinant human erythropoietin or related analogues, referred to as conventional erythropo...

PURPOSE To update the American Society of Clinical Oncology/American Society of Hematology (ASCO/ASH) recommendations for the use of epoetin. The guideline was expanded to address use of darbepoetin and thromboembolic risk associated with these agents. METHOD An Update Committee ("Committee") reviewed and analyzed data published since 2002 through July 2007. MEDLINE and the Cochrane Collabora...