| Methods |
Randomised controlled trial
Study location: single‐centre study conducted in Krakow, Poland
Study period: not stated |
| Participants |
19 preterm infants with GA < 35 weeks' gestation and birth weight ≤ 1500 grams |
| Interventions |
Infants in EPO group I (n = 6) received EPO (Recormon, Boehringer Mannheim) 100 IU/kg twice a week IV (200 IU/kg/week, low dose) between days 7 and 37, and infants in EPO group II (n = 6) received 400 IU/kg twice weekly (800 IU/kg/week, high dose) during the same time period. Control group (n = 7) received no treatment or placebo. Both EPO groups received 10 mg/kg/week of iron IV (high dose). Control group did not receive iron. |
| Outcomes |
Total volume (mL/kg) of blood transfused between days 7 and 37
Side effects |
| Notes |
Transfusion guidelines were in place.
We could not ascertain whether infants who had received blood transfusions before study entry were included. |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
No information provided |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Randomly selected preterm infants |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Control group received no placebo or iron. Personnel were aware of treatment groups. |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
High risk |
Control group received no placebo or iron. Outcome assessors were aware of treatment groups. |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Complete follow‐up: yes |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
The protocol for the study was not available to us; therefore we cannot ascertain whether deviations from the protocol occurred. |
| Other bias |
Low risk |
Appears free of other bias |
