What are the effects of recombinant human erythropoietin on autologous blood donation before open-heart surgery?
Schmoeckel et al. (1993) conducted a study to examine the effects of recombinant human erythropoietin on autologous blood donation before open-heart surgery. The study found that the administration of recombinant human erythropoietin before open-heart surgery led to a significant decrease in the amount of allogeneic blood transfused to patients and a significant increase in the amount of autologous blood donated. This suggests that the use of recombinant human erythropoietin may be an effective way to reduce the use of allogeneic blood transfusions in open-heart surgery.  