December 9, 2004
Benefits of treating anemia outweigh known risks - The Anemia Institute urges ongoing need for anemia treatment following recent reports of West

CNW via NewsEdge Corporation : TORONTO, Dec. 9 /CNW/

For patients with anemia of chronic disease and major surgery, the critical need to treat anemia outweighs known risks, according to the Anemia Institute for Research and Education.

"Two important treatments for patients with anemia of chronic disease or major surgery are blood transfusions and recombinant erythropoietin," says Durhane Wong-Rieger, President and CEO of the Anemia Institute for Research and Education. "Patients have been calling us with questions arising from media reports of recent events associated with these treatments. One of the roles of the Anemia Institute is to help people put the risks in perspective, including the risks of no treatment."

Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough red blood cells to deliver the oxygen needed by organs and tissues. While thousands of Canadians have anemia, it is of serious concern to those undergoing surgery or those with chronic diseases like kidney disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, and hepatitis C. Untreated, severe anemia can cause cognitive deficits, heart disease, and even death. In contrast, the risks of recently reported events are relatively rare.

"For people living with cancer, kidney disease, Hep C and HIV/AIDS, anemia is a serious condition that must be treated," says Dr. Kent Stobart, Hematologist, University of Alberta. "Patients and healthcare professionals must understand that stopping treatment is not a viable option -- the benefits of anemia treatment far outweigh current treatment risks."

Certainly, given the tragedies associated with blood transfusions in the past, it is important not to ignore any potential risks. And patients should be given the opportunity to receive an alternative to donated blood whenever appropriate. On the other hand, the single Canadian case of West Nile Disease that appears to be due to a blood transfusion should not make patients afraid to receive blood, if necessary.

For many patients with moderate to severe anemia due to chronic disease (kidney disease, cancer HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, or hepatitis C) the treatment of choice may be a medication, recombinant erythropoietin, which stimulates red blood cell production. For cancer and HIV/AIDS patients, there is only one licensed product, EPREX(r), and for kidney patients, there are two options, EPREX(r) and ARANESP(r).

While erythropoietin avoids the risks of transfusion, there have been recent reports of a side effect called pure red-cell aplasia that can leave the patient unable to make red blood cells. While the condition is potentially very serious, the occurrence is very rare, having been reported in only 28 cases in Canada and only for the small minority of chronic kidney patients who receive the drug by injection under the skin. The condition has not been reported for the 80% of kidney patients who receive the drug by intravenous injection, and it has not been reported for patients who receive the drug for cancer, HIV/AIDS, or surgical purposes.