Background and objectives: The use of darbepoetin alfa in the first week of post-renal transplant (RT).
Methods: Retrospective observational study carried out in four hospitals, which included all adult patients that underwent RT for 9 months with haemoglobin data during the first 6 months of post-transplant (n=129). Darbepoetin alfa was administered in accordance with the clinical practice.
Results: Darbepoetin alfa was administered in the first week to 60 individuals (46.5%), who had a mean baseline Hb (± standard deviation) of 12.7 g/dl ± 1.6g/dl. Anaemia incidence (Hb<11 g/dl) during the first month was higher in patients who did not receive darbepoetin alfa (40.6% vs. 25.0% in patients treated with darbepoetin alfa, P=.045). No anaemia incidence differences were observed during months +2 to +6. There was a tendency towards transfusion decrease in patients who received darbepoetin alfa (13.3% vs. 20.3%, P=.295). Renal recovery time was similar but in the subgroup which received grafts from donors with asystole there was a tendency towards a faster recovery with darbepoetin alfa (15.1 ± 7.7 vs. 20.1 ± 8.8 days, P=.157). The creatinine clearance rate at 3 and 6 months was similar. Fourteen patients (10.9%) suffered from cardiovascular events with no relation to darbepoetin alfa (P=.772).
Conclusions: Administering darbepoetin alfa in the first week following renal transplant reduces anaemia incidence during the first month without increase cardiovascular events.