1. A good response rate to recombinant erythropoietin alone may be expected in selected myelodysplastic patients. A preliminary clinical study.
- Author
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Di Raimondo F, Longo G, Cacciola E Jr, Milone G, Palumbo GA, Cacciola RR, Alessi M, and Giustolisi R
- Subjects
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Anemia blood, Erythrocyte Transfusion, Erythropoietin blood, Female, Ferritins blood, Hematocrit, Hemoglobins metabolism, Humans, Iron blood, Male, Middle Aged, Myelodysplastic Syndromes blood, Myelodysplastic Syndromes therapy, Recombinant Proteins therapeutic use, Treatment Outcome, Anemia drug therapy, Erythropoietin therapeutic use, Myelodysplastic Syndromes drug therapy
- Abstract
The use of recombinant erythropoietin for treatment of anemia in myelodysplastic patients has so far produced poorer results than expected. Most clinical studies have been conducted without any selection of patients. In the present study we report our experience with the use of rhEPO in a population of selected MDS subjects. Only patients affected by refractory anemia according to FAB criteria, without significant WBC and platelets reduction, with normal LDH and short history of disease were eligible for the study and were treated with rhEPO at a dosage of 150 mg/kg three times a week for 2 months. Among the 12 so treated patients, 7 (58.3%) achieved complete remission, 2 partial remission and 3 failed to respond. This high response rate makes more than acceptable the cost/benefit ratio for rhEPO in RA patients and may identify a subgroup of patients that can be treated successfully with rhEPO alone.
- Published
- 1996
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