A single bolus of a long-acting erythropoietin analogue darbepoetin alfa in patients with acute myocardial infarction: A randomized feasibility and safety study

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Abstract

Aims: Besides stimulating hematopoiesis, erythro-poietin (EPO) protects against experimental ischemic injury in the heart. The present study evaluated the safety and tolerability of EPO treatment in non-anemic patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods and Results: In this single-center, investigator-initiated, prospective study, patients with a first acute MI were randomized to one bolus of 300 mu g darbepoetin alfa or no additional medication before primary coronary intervention. Twenty-two patients (mean age 59 +/- 2 years) were included. In the darbepoetin group, serum EPO-levels increased to 130-270 times that of controls, within the first 24 h. After darbepoetin administration, only small and nonsignificant changes in hematocrit levels were observed, while endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs, CD34+/CD45-) were increased at 72 h (2.8 vs. 1.0 cells/mu l in control group,p <0.01). No adverse events were recorded during the 30-day follow-up. After 4 months, left ventricular ejection fraction was similar in the two groups (52 +/- 3% in darbepoetin vs. 48 +/- 5% in control group, p = NS).

Conclusions: Intravenous single high-dose darbepoetin alfa in acute MI is both safe and well tolerated. Darbepoetin treatment after MI stimulates EPCs mobilization. The results of this first pilot study support a larger scale clinical trial to establish efficacy of EPO administration in patients after acute MI.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)135-141
Number of pages7
JournalCardiovascular Drugs and Therapy
Volume20
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr-2006

Keywords

  • acute myocardial infarction
  • erythropoietin
  • endothelial progenitor cells
  • ENDOTHELIAL PROGENITOR CELLS
  • RECOMBINANT-HUMAN-ERYTHROPOIETIN
  • LEFT-VENTRICULAR FUNCTION
  • CHRONIC HEART-FAILURE
  • HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS
  • SIZE
  • ANEMIA
  • RATS
  • HEMODIALYSIS
  • MORTALITY

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