JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Effect of erythropoietin and transfusion threshold on neurological recovery after traumatic brain injury: a randomized clinical trial.
There is limited information about the effect of erythropoietin or a high hemoglobin transfusion threshold after a traumatic brain injury. ⋯ In patients with closed head injury, neither the administration of erythropoietin nor maintaining hemoglobin concentration of greater than 10 g/dL resulted in improved neurological outcome at 6 months. The transfusion threshold of 10 g/dL was associated with a higher incidence of adverse events. These findings do not support either approach in this setting.