View Single Post
  #6  
Old Mon Jan 5, 2009, 01:48 PM
Birgitta-A Birgitta-A is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Posts: 1,918
Father with MDS

Hi aggarab,
Here is an article about EPO treatment. As you can see the article is from 1983. Aranesp is a kind of EPO drug that lasts much longer than for example Procrit.
http://www.aamds.org/aplastic/diseas...rowth_factors/

As you can read EPO stimulates production of young red blood cells (reticulocytes) within 3 to 7 days. A definite rise in hemoglobin requires longer time (2-4 weeks).

If Neupogen or similar drugs for low white blood cells is added more patients respond.

Did you get any info about your fathers serumEPO before the first transfusion? More patients with a low serumEPO (less than 500) respond when they are treated with EPO drugs.

Do your father get platelet transfusions since his platelets are so low?
Kind regards
Birgitta-A
Reply With Quote