The neuroprotective role of erythropoietin in the management of acute ischaemic stroke: from bench to bedside

• Published in: Acta neurologica Scandinavica Vol. 118; no. 6; pp. 362 - 366
• Main Authors: Ntaios, G., Savopoulos, C., Chatzinikolaou, A., Hatzitolios, A. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.2008; Blackwell
• Subjects: Acute Disease - therapy; Animals; asialic erythropoietin; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - blood supply; Brain - drug effects; Brain - physiopathology; Brain Ischemia - drug therapy; Brain Ischemia - physiopathology; carbamylated erythropoietin; Clinical Trials as Topic; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; erythropoietin; Erythropoietin - pharmacology; Erythropoietin - therapeutic use; Humans; Medical sciences; Neurology; neuroprotection; Neuroprotective Agents - pharmacology; Neuroprotective Agents - therapeutic use; Recombinant Proteins - pharmacology; Recombinant Proteins - therapeutic use; stroke; Stroke - drug therapy; Stroke - physiopathology; Treatment Outcome; Stroke; Nervous system diseases; Acute; Cardiovascular disease; carbamylated erythropoietin; Cerebral disorder; Vascular disease; Clinical management; neuroprotection; Central nervous system disease; Brain ischemia; asialic erythropoietin; Cerebrovascular disease; erythropoietin
• ISSN: 0001-6314; 1600-0404
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.2008.01039.x

Recombinant human erythropoietin was produced soon after the discovery of the erythropoietin gene in 1985 and since then, it is used in various clinical conditions such as chronic renal failure. Moreover, experimental studies have shown that erythropoietin exerts neuroprotective action as well. Recently, a clinical trial yielded promising results concerning the use of erythropoietin in stroke management. In this review, we summarize the main data which suggest that recombinant human erythropoietin and its analogues may indeed have a role in stroke treatment.