Haematologica 2003 - Supplements

sustained response, lasting from 52 and 56 weeks, and are being
treated with 40.000 U epoetin alpha every two weeks. No adverse
events occurred. The treatment resulted in a rapid correction of
anaemia in 8 out of 10 patients, with a final overall response of
90%. Another interesting finding is the possibility to maintain a
long-term haematological response with a single HD
administered every two weeks. In conclusion, this new dosing
regimen determined a rapid erythroid response in high percentage
of patients, permitting to titrate treatment as necessary to
maintain stable Hb values and suggesting that the HD epoetin
alpha could have an extended role in the management of diseaserelated
anemia in patients with MM.
257
Early treatment of anaemia in multiple myeloma with
rh-EPO
Ballerini F, Varaldo R, Canepa L, Miglino M, Pierri I, Clavio
M, Gobbi M.
Dipartimento di ematologia- Ospedale San Martino
Anaemia is frequently observed in patients affected by multiple
myeloma both at diagnosis and during therapy. In the treatment
of this disease the action of rh-EPO is well known: EPO is able in
fact to increase the erythropoietic progenitor cells survival
bearing proper EPO receptors ( CFU-E and proerythroblasts ).
The“conventional dose” is based on the administration of rh-EPO
( 10000 UI x 3/weekly ) ( OR 50-60% ). The better result ( OR
80-90% ) was obtained using high rh-EPO doses ( 40000 UI x
2/weekly ) is probably due to a higher recruitment followed by
proliferation and maturationof BFU-E. We tested the efficacy of a
weekly treatment with rh-EPO in order to take advantage of the
EPO “ peak” dose on the progenitor cells maintaining a monthly
conventional treatment ( 160000 UI/monthly vs 320000
UI/monthly ). Moreover, we started treatment during the early
phase of disease ( if Hb 13 g/dl. The
response was considered major ( MR ) for Hb> 12g/dl or for a
steadly increase > 2g/dl, minor ( mR ) for Hb increase > 1