Correcting anemia in heart failure: the efficacy and safety of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.

BACKGROUND: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy and safety of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), including erythropoietin and darbepoetin, among patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and anemia have yielded heterogeneous results, and important safety questions remain unanswered. We therefore undertook a meta-analysis to examine the effects of ESAs in this population.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We systematically searched EMBASE, Medline, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and relevant bibliographies to identify all relevant RCTs. Data were aggregated using random-effects models. We identified 9 RCTs (n = 747 patients). Compared with control, ESAs were associated with a significant reduction in CHF-related hospitalizations (odds ratio [OR] = 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.24-0.69). The effect of ESAs on mortality was inconclusive (OR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.32-1.11). ESAs were associated with improved quality of life and left ventricular ejection fraction, lower brain-natriuretic peptide levels, and improved exercise tolerance test performance. There was no evidence of an increase in the incidence of adverse events among patients randomized to ESAs (OR = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.51-1.42).

CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CHF and anemia, ESAs are associated with a decrease in CHF-related hospitalizations and improved quality of life and exercise tolerance. However, RCTs completed to date have involved a small number of patients, and available mortality data are inconclusive.