Comparison 1.
Erythropoietin versus placebo or no treatment
| Outcome or subgroup title | No. of studies | No. of participants | Statistical method | Effect size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Use of 1 or more red blood cell transfusions (low and high doses of EPO) | 19 | 1750 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.79 [0.74, 0.85] |
| 2 Use of 1 or more blood transfusions (high dose of EPO) | 17 | 1317 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.79 [0.74, 0.86] |
| 2.1 High‐dose iron | 11 | 863 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.84 [0.77, 0.92] |
| 2.2 Low‐dose iron | 6 | 454 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.71 [0.62, 0.82] |
| 3 Use of 1 or more red blood cell transfusions (low‐dose EPO) | 4 | 484 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.77 [0.65, 0.91] |
| 3.1 High‐dose iron | 2 | 322 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.75 [0.61, 0.93] |
| 3.2 Low‐dose iron | 2 | 162 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.80 [0.60, 1.07] |
| 4 Total volume (mL/kg) of blood transfused per infant | 7 | 581 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | ‐6.82 [‐11.52, ‐2.11] |
| 5 Number of red blood transfusions per infant | 16 | 1744 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | ‐0.57 [‐0.68, ‐0.45] |
| 6 Number of donors to whom the infant was exposed | 5 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | Subtotals only | |
| 6.1 Among all randomised infants | 3 | 254 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | ‐0.54 [‐0.89, ‐0.20] |
| 6.2 Among infants who were transfused | 2 | 290 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.05 [‐0.33, 0.42] |
| 7 Mortality during initial hospital stay (all causes of mortality) | 20 | 2212 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.89 [0.68, 1.16] |
| 8 Retinopathy of prematurity (all stages or stage not reported) | 11 | 2185 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.92 [0.79, 1.08] |
| 9 Retinopathy of prematurity (stage ≥ 3) | 8 | 1283 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 1.24 [0.81, 1.90] |
| 10 Proven sepsis | 12 | 2180 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.87 [0.74, 1.02] |
| 11 Necrotising enterocolitis (stage not reported) | 15 | 2639 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.69 [0.52, 0.91] |
| 12 Intraventricular haemorrhage (all grades) | 10 | 1226 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.98 [0.76, 1.26] |
| 13 Intraventricular haemorrhage (grades III and IV) | 8 | 1460 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.60 [0.43, 0.85] |
| 14 Periventricular leukomalacia | 6 | 1469 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.66 [0.48, 0.92] |
| 15 Length of hospital stay (days) | 8 | 970 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | ‐3.20 [‐5.34, ‐1.06] |
| 16 Bronchopulmonary dysplasia | 13 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | Subtotals only | |
| 16.1 Supplemental oxygen at 28 days of age | 2 | 136 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.86 [0.50, 1.47] |
| 16.2 Supplemental oxygen at 36 weeks | 7 | 1719 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.95 [0.81, 1.11] |
| 16.3 Age at diagnosis not stated | 5 | 528 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.98 [0.61, 1.56] |
| 17 Neutropenia | 10 | 966 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.81 [0.53, 1.24] |
| 18 Hypertension | 6 | 706 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.97 [0.14, 6.69] |
| 19 Hemangioma | 1 | 443 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 1.33 [0.79, 2.26] |
| 20 Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment at 40 weeks' PMA | 1 | 44 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 1.80 [1.26, 2.34] |
| 21 Infants with white matter injury at term‐corrected PMA | 1 | 165 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.61 [0.37, 1.00] |
| 22 Infants with white matter signal abnormality at term‐corrected PMA | 1 | 165 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.23 [0.05, 1.01] |
| 23 Infants with periventricular white matter loss at term‐corrected PMA | 1 | 165 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.55 [0.32, 0.97] |
| 24 Infants with grey matter injury at term‐corrected PMA | 1 | 165 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.34 [0.13, 0.87] |
| 25 Survivors at discharge from hospital without severe IVH, PVL, ROP | 1 | 443 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 1.00 [0.93, 1.08] |
| 26 Bayley‐II MDI < 70 at 18 to 24 months' corrected age | 4 | 1071 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.55 [0.39, 0.77] |
| 27 Bayley‐II PDI < 70 at 18 to 22 months' corrected age (in children examined) | 3 | 458 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 1.43 [0.88, 2.33] |
| 28 Bayley‐II MDI at 18 to 24 months | 3 | 981 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 8.22 [6.52, 9.92] |
| 29 Bayley‐II PDI at 18 to 24 months | 1 | 3 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.0 [0.0, 0.0] |
| 30 Cerebral palsy at 18 to 24 months' corrected age | 6 | 1172 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.72 [0.46, 1.13] |
| 31 Any neurodevelopmental impairment at 18 to 22 months' corrected age (in children examined) | 4 | 1130 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.62 [0.48, 0.80] |
| 32 Visual impairment at 18 to 24 months' corrected age | 5 | 1132 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.80 [0.26, 2.49] |
| 33 Hearing impairment at 18 to 24 months' corrected age | 5 | 1132 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.41 [0.13, 1.23] |
| 34 BSID‐III composite cognitive scores at 18 to 22 months | 1 | 53 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 9.20 [1.70, 16.70] |
| 35 BSID‐III composite language score | 1 | 53 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 6.30 [‐2.20, 14.80] |
| 36 BSID‐III composite social/emotional score | 1 | 53 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 2.90 [‐7.84, 13.64] |
| 37 BSID‐III object performance (OP) score | 1 | 53 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.20 [‐0.32, 0.72] |
| 38 WPPSI‐III FSIQ at 3.5 to 4 years of age | 1 | 38 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 10.42 [‐1.96, 22.80] |
| 39 WPPSI‐III VIQ at 3.5 to 4 years of age | 1 | 38 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 10.64 [‐0.73, 22.01] |
| 40 WPPSI‐III PIQ at 3.5 to 4 years of age | 1 | 38 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 10.12 [‐2.67, 22.91] |
| 41 WPPSI‐III GLC at 3.5 to 4 years of age | 1 | 38 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 3.12 [‐8.37, 14.61] |
| 42 Executive function at 3.5 to 4 years of age | 1 | 38 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 6.82 [‐1.97, 15.61] |
| 43 Working memory at 3.5 to 4 years of age | 1 | 38 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 6.74 [‐4.56, 18.04] |
| 44 Inhibition at 3.5 to 4 years of age | 1 | 38 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 6.86 [‐4.56, 18.28] |
| 45 Griffiths Developmental Scale at 2 years of age | 1 | 19 | Mean Difference (IV, Fixed, 95% CI) | 3.0 [‐3.75, 9.75] |
| 46 Survival without major neurological or neurodevelopmental disorders at 2 years of age | 2 | 404 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.99 [0.91, 1.08] |
| 47 Death or moderate/severe neurological disability at 18 to 24 months | 1 | 668 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.48 [0.35, 0.67] |
| 48 Moderate/severe neurological disability at 18 to 24 months | 1 | 613 | Risk Ratio (M‐H, Fixed, 95% CI) | 0.38 [0.24, 0.60] |