First author and publication date | Follow-up | n | Patients | End points | Major exclusion criteria | ESP | Target Hb or Ht | Study design | Study quality |
Parissis, 200817 | 3 Months | 32 | NYHA II–III LVEF <40% Hb <12.5 g/dl | Exercise capacityEchocardiographicLV and RV evaluation | sCr >2.5 mg/dl | Darbepoetin alfa | 14.0 g/dl | Randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled, single-centre study | Fair |
Ghali,20084 | 1 Year | 319 | NYHA II–IV LVEF <40% Hb <12.5 g/dl | Change in exercise time NYHA class, mortality HF hospitalisation | sCr >3.0 mg/dl | Darbepoetin alfa | 14.0 g/dl | Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study | Fair |
Van Veldhuisen, 20075 | 26 Weeks | 165 | Symptomatic HF LVEF <40% Hb 9.0–12.5 g/dl | Hb rise, 6-min walk distance, safety | sCr >3.0 mg/dl | Darbepoetin alfa | 14.0 g/dl | Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study | Fair |
Ponikowski,200718 | 26 Weeks | 41 | Symptomatic CHF LVEF <40% Hb 9–12 g/dl | Exercise tolerance and duration, NYHA, BNP, hospitalisation | Blood transfusion or ESP within 12 weeks sCr >3.0 mg/dl | Darbepoetin alfa | Hb 13.0–15.0 g/dl | Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study | Fair |
Mancini, 200316 | 3 Months | 23 | NYHA III/IV Ht <35%, | Exercise performance | Non-ambulatory patients, continuous inotropic agents, iron deficiency anaemia sCr >2.5 mg/dl | Erythropoietin alfa | Ht >45% | Randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled, single-centre study | Fair |
Palazzuoli,20066 | 3 Months | 38 | NYHA III/IV Hb <11 g/dl | NYHA class, exercise capacity, renal function, O2 use, BNP | Secondary causes ofanaemia, isolated diastolic HF, <12 weeks MI sCr >5.0 mg/dl | Erythropoietin beta | Hb 11.5–12.0 g/dl | Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-centre study | Fair |
Silverberg, 20017 | 8.2 Months | 32 | LVEF <40% Hb 10–11.5 g/dl | Days of hospitalisation | Secondary causesof anaemia | Erythropoietin | 12.5 g/dl | Randomised, open-label, single-centre study | Fair |
BNP, B-type natriuretic protein; CHF, chronic heart failure; ESP, erythropoietin-stimulating protein; ESP, erythropoietin-stimulating protein; ; Ht, haematocrit; LV, left ventricular; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; MI, myocardial infarction; NYHA, New York Heart Association; RV, right ventricular; sCr, serum creatinine.