Neuroanesthesia & neurocritical care
The effect of recombinant erythropoietin on long-term outcome after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury
Authors' conclusion
EPO neither decreased overall long-term mortality nor improved functional outcome in moderate or severe TBI patients treated in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Study context
- Population
- Intensive care unit (ICU) patients with moderate-to-severe TBI from the erythropoietin in TBI trial (2010–2015)356 in follow-up
- Participants
- 603 patients
- Comparison
- Erythropoietin (EPO) vs placebo
- EPOn = 175
- Placebon = 181reference
- Primary endpoint
- Survival and functional outcome (GOSE categories 5-8 = good outcome)
- Follow-up
- Median of 6 years from injury
Methodological detailspre-planned long-term follow-up, multicentre
- Pre-planned long-term follow-up
- Multicentre
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Long-term survival and good functional outcome (GOSE 5-8) · median 6 years from injury
EPO vs PlaceboHR for death (time to death) (95% CI)P value
No difference in patient survival
0.73(0.47–1.14)
P = 0.17- CI printed partly as a formula in the abstract
- Absolute risk differences (ARD) for good outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) 5-8) 8%; P = 0.14
Further findings
| Outcome | ARD (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good outcome relative to baseline risk (sliding scale GOSE) | 12% (2–22%) | P = 0.02 | |
| −100102030Difference (linear scale) |
Heterogeneity of treatment effect (HTE) for long-term survival (subgroup)
- No evidence of HTE by TBI severity
- P = 0.85
- No evidence of HTE by intracranial mass lesion
- P = 0.48
- No evidence of HTE by multi-trauma
- P = 0.08
- No evidence of treatment heterogeneity for functional outcome
Original publication
The effect of recombinant erythropoietin on long-term outcome after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury. Intensive Care Med. Published 5 July 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →