Intensive care medicine
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Intensive care medicine · Nov 2013
Review Meta AnalysisSafety of off-label erythropoiesis stimulating agents in critically ill patients: a meta-analysis.
Erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) are used to treat anemia in critically ill patients. This indication is off-label, because it is not licensed by regulatory authorities. Recently ESAs were suspected to harm critically ill patients. Our objective was to assess the safety of ESAs in off-label indications in critically ill patients. ⋯ In critically ill patients, administration of ESAs is associated with a significant increase in clinically relevant thrombotic vascular events but not with other frequently reported adverse events and death.