Association of Erythropoietin Dose and Route of Administration with Clinical Outcomes for Patients on Hemodialysis in the United States.

ABSTRACT:

Background and objectives

Recombinant human erythropoietin (epoetin) is used routinely to increase blood hemoglobin levels in patients with ESRD and anemia. Although lower doses of epoetin are required to achieve equivalent hemoglobin responses when administered subcutaneously rather than intravenously, standard practice has been to administer epoetin to patients on hemodialysis intravenously. Randomized trials of alternative epoetin treatment regimens in patients with kidney failure have shown that risks of cardiovascular complications and death are related to the dose levels of epoetin used. Therefore, given the dose-sparing advantages of subcutaneous epoetin administration, the possibility that treatment of patients on hemodialysis with subcutaneous epoetin might be associated w

SUBMITTER: Wright DG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4594062 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature