Approximately 50% of cancer patients develop anemia. In the past, the only available treatment option for these patients was transfusion. Since the late 1980s, recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO, epoetin alfa [Epogen, Procrit]) has provided a treatment alternative. Controlled clinical trials have shown that rHuEPO increases hemoglobin and hematocrit levels and reduces the need for transfu...

CONTEXT Anemia is common in the critically ill and results in a large number of red blood cell transfusions. Recent data have shown that red blood cell transfusions in critically ill patients can be decreased with recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) therapy during their intensive care unit stay. OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of rHuEPO therapy in decreasing the occurrence of red blood...

The effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) on megakaryopoiesis remains controversial. Treatment with rHuEpo in renal failure patients has been associated with a slight elevation of platelet counts. In animal studies, high doses of rHuEpo produced an increase of platelet counts followed by a gradual return to normal after 7 to 15 days or even a substantial degree of thrombocytopenia...

Anemia in hemodialysis patients is effectively treated by intravenous (IV) injections of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) at each dialysis session. Because the hormone is effective by subcutaneous (SC) administration, it was decided that this study would evaluate low-dose weekly SC rHuEPO therapy. To determine the safety and efficacy of weekly SC rHuEPO administration to hemodialysis p...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) use for anemia of critical illness at a practice site where delayed initiation is common. METHODS Retrospective medical record review involving patients treated with rHuEPO for anemia of critical illness. Those patients given rHuEPO or diagnosed with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prio...

Advanced cancer is frequently associated with a significant anemia that may be due to the disease itself or the effect of concomitantly administered chemotherapeutic agents. In a series of double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, three populations of anemic cancer patients were randomized to rHuEPO or placebo. The three populations were: A) patients not receiving concomitant chemotherapy, B) pa...

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) is used effectively in the treatment of various anemic disorders. Belgrade rat is a useful animal model of anemia caused by defect in iron utilization. The objective of the present study was to investigate the dynamics of erythropoietic biomarkers in Belgrade rats receiving rHuEPO. Pharmacokinetics of rHuEPO was evaluated in Belgrade rats and normal rat...

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) elevates haemoglobin concentration both by increasing red blood cell volume and by a decrease in plasma volume. This study delineates the association of rHuEPO-induced changes in blood volumes with changes in the renin–aldosterone system and renal function. Sixteen healthy males were given rHuEPO for 28 days in doses raising the haematocrit to 48.3±4.1%...

Expression of recombinant proteins and drugs in Pichia pastoris has been in development since the late 1980s and the number of recombinant proteins produced in P. pastoris has increased significantly in the past several years. Unlike bacteria, this strain is capable of producing complex proteins with post translational modifications such as correct folding, glycosylation, proteolytic maturation...

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) stimulates erythropoietic bone marrow cells and increases erythrocyte production. This prospective study was designed to evaluate the effects of rHuEPO on regeneration of erythropoiesis after allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Seventeen centers participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial. ...