A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 6 trials involving a total of 537 participants. These trials only covered recombinant Human erythropoietin alfa (rHuEPO). Two of them including adult and paediatric participants (84 participants and 4 events) comparing rHuEPO to placebo did not reduce the risk of mortality with a follow up to 12 weeks (pooled RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.08 to 4.05). Any trials that compared rHuEPO to placebo did not show any benefit on hematological values response, number of patients transfused, or number of packed red cell transfused. Two trials compared the effects of two rHuEPO dosing regimens on hemoglobin value and quality of life, but the effects are unclear.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by study quality and imprecise results.
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