EPO-4-Rhesus Study — EPO-4-Rhesus  

Erythroblastosis, Fetal Clinical Trial

Official title: Randomized Controlled Trial on the Use of EPO to Reduce Top-up Transfusions in Neonates With Red Blood Cell Alloimmunization Treated With Intrauterine Transfusions

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Up to 80% of infants with hemolytic disease due to maternal alloimmunization, treated with IUT, require at least one top-up transfusion for late anemia during the first 3 months of life. Erythropoietin deficiency is also considered as a possible contributing factor to late anemia and therefore we will assess the role of EPO (darbepoetin alfa) in the treatment of these infants.

Clinical Trial Description

The mainstay of antenatal treatment of fetal anemia due to red cell alloimmunization is (serial) IUT. The mainstay of postnatal treatment in HDN is (1) intensive phototherapy and exchange transfusion to treat hyperbilirubinemia and prevent kernicterus, and (2) top-up transfusions to treat anemia. Up to 80% of infants with HDN treated with IUT require at least one top-up transfusion for late anemia during the first 3 months of life.

Several risk factors for late anemia have been reported, including serial IUT (due to bone marrow suppression), severity of HDN, reduced use of exchange transfusions during the neonatal period and reduced survival of transfused red blood cells. Finally, erythropoietin deficiency is also considered as a possible contributing factor to late anemia.

EPO has been increasingly used in neonates to prevent or reduce neonatal anemia without short or long-term adverse effects. Several small studies and casuistic reports suggest that neonates with HDN may benefit from treatment with EPO to reduce the risk of delayed anemia and subsequent top-up transfusions. However, other authors found that EPO may be less effective than expected. Due to the lack of evidence, routine use of EPO is currently not recommended. To determine a role for EPO in this group of patients, a well-designed randomized controlled clinical trial of sufficient sample size is required. Potentially, EPO stabilizes the hemoglobin levels of these infants and thus prevents top-up transfusions and extra admissions, creating a more stable and natural postnatal course for patients with HDN. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Erythroblastosis Fetalis Due to Isoimmunization
• Erythroblastosis Fetalis Due to RH Antibodies
• Erythroblastosis Fetalis, Rh Disease
• Erythroblastosis, Fetal

• NCT number: NCT03104426
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Sanquin-LUMC J.J van Rood Center for Clinical Transfusion Research
• Contact: Isabelle MC Ree, MD
• Phone: +31715262814
• Email: i.m.c.ree@lumc.nl
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 2/Phase 3
• Start date: October 31, 2017
• Completion date: August 2020