Use of epoetin alfa in autologous blood donation programs for patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery.

The optimum dosage of subcutaneous (s.c.) epoetin alfa was assessed in a double-blind study in 31 patients scheduled for cardiac surgery. Patients received a total of four doses of either epoetin alfa 150 IU/kg (n = 11), epoetin alfa 300 IU/kg (n = 10), or placebo (n = 10) administered as single s.c. injections at weekly intervals starting 23 days prior to surgery. AB was collected with isovolemic replacement prior to each of the first three doses of medication. During the AB donation period, Hb levels decreased significantly (P < .05) from baseline to surgery in the placebo group (16.5%), compared with no significant decrease in either of the epoetin alfa groups (8.1% and 9.7% in the 150 IU/kg and 300 IU/kg groups, respectively). In addition, the difference between groups with regard to the decrease in Hb level reached statistical significance (P < .05) for the 150 IU/kg group versus placebo. Epoetin alfa treatment was also associated with significantly higher reticulocyte counts and serum erythropoietin levels in the preoperative period compared with placebo.