Table 1.

Comparative studies vary based on dosage, administration time, and patient outcome.

Author	EPO dosage and administration	Results or EPO activity
Wu Y. et al. [22].	•Injection of EPO (1000 U/kg) Intravenously	High doses of EPO given under hypothermia for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy can reduce magnetic resonance imaging brain injury and improve motor function.
	•in newborns aged 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 days.
Mahmood A. et al. [23].	•EPO injection (5000 U/kg) intraperitoneally.	post-TBI (6 h or 24 h)
	•performed 6 or 24 h after TBI.	significantly increased BDNF expression and improved spatial learning at 5 weeks after injury in mice.
Xiong Y. et al. [24].	•rhEPO (5000 U/kg) was administered intraperitoneally	rhEPO initiated 6 h post-TBI provides neuroprotection by reducing lesion volume as well as neurorestorative by increasing neurogenesis, then enhancing sensorimotor function and spatial learning.
	•at 6 h and 3 and 7 days post-TBI
Viviani B. et al. [25].	•One dose intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection (100 U)	rhEPO significantly increased BDNF mRNA after 1 h, further increased up to 4 h and 18 h of rhEPO treatment. Thus, BDNF protein levels were significantly increased at 1 and 4 h then slightly decreased at 18 h.
	•at 1, 4, and 18 h
Rajabpour H. and Edalatmanesh MA [26].	•Subcutaneous injection of EPO in doses of 500, 1000, and 2000 IU/kg until they are born in neonates	A significant reduction was observed in spatial memory, EPO treatment improved spatial memory by increasing BDNF levels in the entorhinal cortex.
Vinberg M. et al. [27].	•EPO injection (40,000 IU) intravenously	EPO decreased regulated plasma BDNF levels in patients with treatment-resistant depression, whereas no effect was observed in patients with BD.
	•Every week for 8 weeks
Schober ME. et al. [28].	•A single dose of 5000 U/kg Rh EPO is given intraperitoneally	EPO improves cognitive outcomes in mice after controlled cortical impact as a result of increased neuronal survival via caspase-dependent inhibition of apoptosis earlier after injury.
	•at 1, 24, and 48 h after controlled cortical impact (CCI).
Pei XM. et al. [29].	•EPO injection 200 IU/(kg.d) intravenously	The serum NSE levels on the ninth day after birth were significantly lower than the first day after birth in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
	•from day 2 after birth to 7 days
Li ZM. et al. [30].	•EPO injection at a daily dose of 100 IU/kg (average 6000 IU) subcutaneously	The serum protein levels of NSE and S100–B were lower in patients treated with EPO. These results suggest that EPO offers some neuroprotective effects and improves functional outcomes in patients with severe TBI.
	•on the first day (within 2 h), and a, 6, 9, and 12 days after admission.
Miskowiak KW. et al. [31].	•EPO intravenous injection (40,000 IU)	EPO is a promising treatment option for patients with treatment-resistant depression who are suffering from mood and memory problems.
	•Every week for 8 weeks
Nirula R. et al. [32].	•EPO intravenous injection (40,000 IU)	When compared with placebo, EPO did not affect neuronal cell death; however, TBI severity was worse in the EPO group, while NSE and S100–B levels were comparable to the less injured placebo group, making it difficult to rule out a treatment effect.
	•given within 6 h and the following day for 5 days after injury.
Massaro AN. et al. [33].	•Injection of EPO 1000 U/kg intravenously	Observed a positive correlation between BDNF measured within the first 24 h and severity of brain injury by magnetic resonance imaging. In contrast, BDNF was higher on day 5.
	•on days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 after birth
Gonzalez FF. et al. [34].	•A single dose of 5 U/g intraperitoneally EPO immediately after intraperitoneal reperfusion	EPO preserves hemispheric brain volume, increased neurogenesis, and decreased gliogenesis at 6 weeks after injury.
Chang YS. et al. [35].	•1 dose of 5 U/g rh-EPO immediately after intraperitoneal reperfusion	EPO maintains hemispheric brain volume and better functional results (by decreased forearm asymmetry) 2 weeks after injury.
Larpthaveesarp A. et al. [36].	•3 doses of rh-EPO (1000 U/kg) intraperitoneally	Delayed EPO treatment improved histologic and functional outcomes 4 weeks after middle cerebral artery occlusion.
	•starting one week after injury