Objective: To compare the neurodevelopmental outcome of premature infants treated with recombinant human erythropoietin with that of control infants.
Study design: A total of 20 treated infants and 20 control infants who had completed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of recombinant human erythropoietin as treatment for anemia of prematurity were followed for growth and developmental outcome in an intensive care nursery follow-up program. Infants were assessed by standard developmental tests.
Results: No differences were found between groups for neurologic outcome, cognitive outcome, or growth patterns. All infants treated with recombinant human erythropoietin were neurologically normal. The rate of cognitive deficits was similar in the two groups.
Conclusion: In this small sample we did not see differences in neurodevelopmental outcome between infants treated with recombinant human erythropoietin and control infants.