Anemia of prematurity medical therapy
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Medical Therapy
The best treatment is prevention by minimizing the amount of blood drawn from the infant. Modern technology, including non-invasive pulse-oximetry, development of laboratory equipment that can use very small blood volume samples, and in-dwelling monitors that can measure blood-gas parameters without removing any blood have helped delay or even eliminate anemia of prematurity in some infants.
Recombinant EPO may be given to premature infants to stimulate red blood cell production. Premature infants are equally responsive to EPO as term infants. However, the response to EPO typically takes up to 2 weeks. To date, studies of EPO use in premature infants have had mixed results. It is likely that only a carefully selected subpopulation of infants may benefit from its use.
Treatment of symptomatic anemia of prematurity is with blood transfusion.