Transfusion Medicine Reviews
Volume 20, Issue 1 , Pages 34-44 , January 2006

Controversies in the Management of the Anemia of Prematurity Using Single-Donor Red Blood Cell Transfusions and/or Recombinant Human Erythropoietin

  • Ronald G. Strauss

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress reprint requests to Ronald G. Strauss, MD, Department of Pathology, C250 GH, University of Iowa, Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA 52242-1009.

References 

  1. Strauss RG. Data-driven blood banking practices for neonatal RBC transfusions. Transfusion. 2000;40:1528–1540
  2. Widness JA, Seward VJ, Kromer IJ, et al. Changing patterns of red blood cell transfusion in very low birthweight infants. J. Pediatr. 1996;129:680–687
  3. Strauss RG, Villhauer PJ, Cordle DG. A method to collect, store and issue multiple aliquots of packed red blood cells for neonatal transfusions. Vox Sang. 1995;68:77–81
  4. Strauss RG, Burmeister LF, Johnson K, et al. AS-1 red blood cells for neonatal transfusions: A randomized trial assessing donor exposure and safety. Transfusion. 1996;36:873–878
  5. Strauss RG, Burmeister LF, Johnson K, et al. Feasibility and safety of AS-3 red blood cells for neonatal transfusions. J. Pediatr. 2000;136:215–219
  6. Luban NLC, Strauss RG, Hume HA. Commentary on the safety of red blood cells preserved in extended storage media for neonatal transfusions. Transfusion. 1991;31:229–235
  7. Liu EA, Mannino FL, Lane TA. Prospective, randomized trial of the safety and efficacy of a limited donor exposure transfusion program for premature neonates. J. Pediatr. 1994;125:92–96
  8. Lee DA, Slagel TA, Jackson TM, et al. Reducing blood donor exposures in low birth weight infants by the use of older, unwashed packed red blood cells. J. Pediatr. 1995;126:280–286
  9. Cook S, Gunter J, Wissel M. Effective use of a strategy using assigned red cell units to limit donor exposure for neonatal patients. Transfusion. 1993;33:379–383
  10. Jain R, Jarosz CR, Myers TF. Decreasing blood donor exposure in the neonates by using dedicated donor transfusions. Transfus. Sci. 1997;18:199–203
  11. Wood A, Wilson N, Skacel P, et al. Reducing donor exposure in preterm infants requiring multiple blood transfusions. Arch. Dis. Child. 1995;72:F29–F33
  12. Jain R, Jarosz C. Safety and efficacy of AS-1 red blood cell use in neonates. Transfus. Apher. Sci. 2001;24:111–115
  13. Soothill PW, Lestas AN, Nicolaides KH, et al. 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in normal, anaemic and transfused human fetuses. Clin. Sci. 1988;74:527–530
  14. DeLivoria-Papadopoulos M, Morrow G, Oski FA, et al. Exchange transfusion in the newborn infant with fresh and “old” blood: The role of storage on a 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, hemoglobin-oxygen affinity, and oxygen release. J. Pediatr. 1971;79:898–903
  15. Hilsenrath P, Nemechek J, Widness JA, et al. Cost-effectiveness of a limited donor blood program for neonatal RBC transfusions. Transfusion. 1999;39:938–943
  16. Wang-Rodriguez J, Mannino FL, Liu E, et al. A novel strategy to limit blood donor exposure and blood waste in multiply transfused premature infants. Transfusion. 1996;36:64–70
  17. Louis TA. Meta-analysis of clinical studies: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Transfusion. 1993;33:670–698
  18. Strauss RG. Current issues in neonatal transfusions. Vox Sang. 1986;51:1–9
  19. Stockman JA. Anemia of prematurity. Current concepts in the issue of when to transfuse. Pediatr. Clin. North Am. 1986;33:111–128
  20. Strauss RG, Mock DM, Widness JA, et al. Post-transfusion 24-hour recovery and subsequent survival of allogeneic red blood cells in the bloodstream of newborn infants. Transfusion. 2004;44:871–876
  21. Brown MS, Phibbs RH, Garcia JF, et al. Postnatal changes in erythropoietin levels in untransfused premature infants. J. Pediatr. 1983;103:612–617
  22. Strauss RG. Managing the anemia of prematurity: Red blood cell transfusions versus recombinant erythropoietin. Transf. Med. Rev. 2001;15:213–223
  23. Widness JA, Strauss RG. Recombinant erythropoietin in the treatment of the premature newborn. Semin. Neonatal. 1998;3:163–171
  24. Wilimas JA, Crist WM. Erythropoietin—not yet a standard treatment for anemia of prematurity. Pediatrics. 1995;95:9–10
  25. Doyle JJ. The role of erythropoietin in the anemia of prematurity. Sem. Perinatol. 1997;21:20–27
  26. Vamvakas EC, Strauss RG. Meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials studying the efficacy of recombinant human erythropoietin in reducing blood transfusions in the anemia of prematurity. Transfusion. 2001;41:406–415
  27. Shannon KM, Keith JF, Mentzer WC, et al. Recombinant human erythropoietin stimulates erythropoiesis and reduces erythrocyte transfusions in very-low-birth-weight preterm infants. Pediatrics. 1995;95:1–8
  28. Ohls RK, Harcum J, Schibler KR, et al. The effect of erythropoietin on the transfusion requirements of preterm infants weighing 750 grams or less: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J. Pediatr. 1997;131:661–665
  29. Kumar P, Shankaran S, Krishnan RG. Recombinant human erythropoietin therapy for treatment of anemia of prematurity in very-low-birth-weight infants: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J. Perinatol. 1998;18:173–177
  30. Ohls RK, Ehrenkranz RA, Lemons JA, et al. A multicenter randomized double-masked placebo-controlled trial of early erythropoietin and iron administration to preterm infants. Pediatrics. 2001;108:934–942
  31. Romagnoli C, Zecca E, Gallini F, et al. Do recombinant human erythropoietin and iron supplementation increase the risk of retinopathy of prematurity?. Eur. J. Pediatr. 2000;159:627–634
  32. Juul SE, Yachnis AT, Christensen RD. Tissue distribution of erythropoietin and erythropoietin receptor in the developing human fetus. Early Hum. Dev. 1998;52:235–249
  33. Juul SE, Stallings SA, Christensen RD. Erythropoietin in the cerebrospinal fluid of neonates who sustained CNS injury. Pediatr. Res. 1999;46:543–547
  34. Pollak A, Hayde M, Hayn M, et al. Effect of intravenous iron supplementation on erythropoiesis in erythropoietin-treated premature infants. Pediatrics. 2001;107:78–85
  35. Akisu M, Tuzun S, Arslanoglu S, et al. Effect of recombinant human erythropoietin administration on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes(s) activities in preterm infants. Acta Med. Okayama. 2001;55:357–362
  36. Donato H, Vain N, Rendo P, et al. Effect of early versus late administration of human recombinant erythropoietin on transfusion requirements in premature infants: Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. Pediatrics. 2000;105:1066–1072
  37. Yeo CL, Choo S, Ho LY. Effect of recombinant human erythropoietin on transfusion needs in preterm infants. J. Paediatr. Child Health. 2001;37:352–358
  38. Meyer MP, Sharma E, Carsons M. Recombinant erythropoietin and blood transfusion in selected preterm infants. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2003;88:F41–F45
  39. Maier RE, Obladen M, Müller-Hansen I, et al. Early treatment with erythropoietin b ameliorates anemia and reduces transfusion requirements in infants with birth weights below 1000 g. J. Pediatr. 2002;141:8–15
  40. Avent M, Cory BJ, Galpin J, et al. A comparison of high versus low dose recombinant human erythropoietin versus blood transfusion in the management of anemia of prematurity in a developing country. J. Trop. Pediatr. 2002;48:227–233
  41. Franz AR, Pohlandt F. Red blood cell transfusions in very and extremely low birthweight infants under restrictive transfusion guidelines: Is exogenous erythropoietin necessary?. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2001;84:F96–F100
  42. Amin AA, Alzahrani DM. Efficacy of erythropoietin in premature infants. Saudi Med. J. 2002;23:287–290

 This study was supported by grants P01 HL46925 and RR 00059 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.

PII: S0887-7963(05)00080-5

doi: 10.1016/j.tmrv.2005.08.003

Transfusion Medicine Reviews
Volume 20, Issue 1 , Pages 34-44 , January 2006