Erythropoietin for autologous blood donation in fetal hip arthroplasty patients

Forty patients who were scheduled for a total hip arthroplasty were enrolle d in a prospective study and were randomly divided into two groups. Group I received recombinant human erythropoietin (300 U/kg twice a week), and gro up 2 received placebo. The medication was started 2 weeks before the operat ion, and only one dose of medication was given after the operation. Autolog ous blood was administered at the same time as the medication until the hem oglobin level sank to 10 g/dl. Forty-eight and 49 units of autologous blood were collected in group 1 and group 2, respectively. Intraoperative homolo gous blood was transfused only to patients in group 2. Seven and 13 units o f allogenic blood were transfused into group 1 and group 2 patients during the postoperative period, respectively. There were no any significant diffe rences between the groups in terms of early postoperative hemoglobin level and amount of autologous blood collected. However, the increase of the reti culocyte count in patients who received erythropoietin was significantly hi gher than in the group 2 patients. The study showed that short-term and low -dose erythropoietin usage strongly stimulates the bone marrow. Eryrhropoie tin administration and preoperative autologous blood donation diminished th e total units of allogenic blood required during the intraoperative or post operative period. Autologous blood administration without concurrent erythr opoietin did not stimulate the bone marrow adequately.