Safety of off-label erythropoiesis stimulating agents in critically ill patients: a meta-analysis

Erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) are used to treat anemia in critically ill patients. This indication is off-label, because it is not licensed by regulatory authorities. Recently ESAs were suspected to harm critically ill patients. Our objective was to assess the safety of ESAs in off-label indications in critically ill patients.

Eleven databases were searched up to April 2012. We considered randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled observational studies in any language that compared off-label ESAs treatment with other effective interventions, placebo or no treatment in critically ill patients. Two authors independently screened and evaluated retrieved records, extracted data and assessed risk of bias and quality of reporting.

We used frequentist and Bayesian models to combine studies, and performed sensitivity and subgroup analyses. From 12,888 citations, we included 48 studies (34 RCTs; 14 observational), involving 944,856 participants. Harm reporting was of medium to low quality. There was no statistically significant increased risk of adverse events in general, serious adverse events, the most frequently reported adverse events, and death in critically ill patients treated with ESAs. These results were robust against risk of bias and analysis methods. There is evidence that ESAs increase the risk of clinically relevant thrombotic vascular events, and there is some less certain evidence that ESAs might increase the risk for venous thromboembolism.

In critically ill patients, administration of ESAs is associated with a significant increase in clinically relevant thrombotic vascular events but not with other frequently reported adverse events and death.