Epoetin alfa increases the volume of autologous blood donated by patients scheduled to undergo orthopedic surgery.

In patients scheduled to undergo major orthopedic surgery, predonation of autologous blood (AB) has emerged as a means of avoiding subsequent exposure to allogeneic blood. However, patients with a baseline hematocrit (Hct) less than 40% may not be able to donate sufficient AB to fully meet their requirements. In female patients with a baseline Hct < or = 39%, epoetin alfa (300 to 600 IU/kg twice weekly for 3 weeks) significantly increased the amount of AB donated prior to elective orthopedic surgery and significantly reduced allogeneic blood requirements in comparison with placebo. Iron availability was a critical factor in determining the response to epoetin alfa. In these patients, parenteral supplementation with iron saccharate significantly increased the amount of AB donated and the volume of red blood cells (RBCs) collected in comparison with oral iron alone. Parenteral iron supplementation, therefore, ensures that sufficient iron is available to meet the demands of epoetin alfa-accelerated erythropoiesis in patients enrolled in an AB donation program.