RHUEPO IN THE TREATMENT OF POSTPARTUM ANEMIA - SUBCUTANEOUS VERSUS INTRAVENOUS ADMINISTRATION

The aim of this study was to determine whether single-shot therapy wit h recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) is as effective as divided dosing in postpartum anemia for both subcutaneous and intravenous adm inistration. In a randomized prospective study we treated 95 women wit h postpartum anemia(Hb <10 g/dl) within 72 h after delivery with rHuEP O (total dose 300 U/kg body weight) and oral iron supplementation in f our treatment groups: group A rHuEPO 150 U/kg s.c. once daily for two consecutive days; group B rHuEPO 150 U/kg i.v. once daily for two cons ecutive days; group C rHuEPO 300 U/kg s.c. once only; group D rHuEPO 3 00 U/kg i.v. once only. No significant intergroup differences were fou nd in the mean increase of hemoglobin (P = 0.93 for a difference of 1 g/dl). The mean increase in the single-shot groups was 3 g/dl in 14 da ys. There was a significant reduction of iron stores in all groups. We conclude that single-shot rHuEPO 300 U/kg body weight corrects anemia just as effectively as divided doses on both intravenous and subcutan eous administration. The overall increase in Hb is only slight but pre liminary results indicate that the effect can be enhanced by administr ating iron intravenously and by an interval therapy with high-dose rHu EPO.