[Risk factors involved in the need for blood transfusion in very low birth weight newborns treated with erythropoietin]

To identify and quantify risk factors related to red blood cell transfusion in premature babies weighing<1,500g who received erythropoietin (EPO). Secondly, to assess the relationship between retinopathy of prematurity and rh-EPO.

Prospective descriptive study of infants admitted to the Reina Sofía University Hospital between January 2006 and March 2009. Infants reviewed had a birth weight<1,500g and gestational age<32 weeks. Infants were administered rh-EPO 750IU/kg/week subcutaneously 3 days/week/ 6 weeks. We used univariate and multivariate logistic regressions with PASW Statistics 18 for Windows.

Data were obtained from 110 infants, with a mean birth weight of 1154grs and mean gestational age of 29.3 weeks. Risk factors (OR; 95% CI) for being transfused were: male sex (4.41; 1.24-15.66), GA (1.64; 1.14-2.36, 1 week), Hb level on admission (1.45; 1.04-2.04; 1g/dl), late onset sepsis (7.75; 2.21-21.11), late onset treatment with rh-EPO (6.27; 1.22-32.35). All surgically treated infants with patent ductus arteriosus ligation or necrotizing enterocolitis needed transfusion. There is no relationship between rh-EPO administration and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), but there was a relationship with transfusion.

Premature infants with the lower gestational age, being male, a lower Hb level on admission and late onset sepsis are those with the greatest risk for blood transfusion.