EPO as a valid treatment fro blood disorders

[lechatnoir]

Before anyone asks, it's not treatment for being a talentless cyclist... 

 

My wife struggles with thalessemia and I was wondering if anyone knows of EPO being used as a treatment for this? Thalessemia is essentially less hemoglobin and have fewer circulating red blood cells than normal. FWIW, she's had the usual treatments for this to little effect and this request is a sincere one. Thanks!

[Bateleur1]

I have absolutely no idea, but if there is any scientific proof of this I can guarantee you that the most common problem among endurance athletes would be asthma and thalessemia in future. 

[Barend de Arend]

I'd assume that if it would work, your doctor is the best port of call, and probably would have discussed it with you or your wife already.

 

Incorrect use of EPO can and does kill.  Don't self-medicate.

[Dicky DQ]

I also assume that you hemocrit (spelling) levels would need to below 50 as well. Even if it is allowed.

[michaelbiker]

I think EPO was developed to treat certain blood disorders. One was a type of anaemia, if I remember correctly.

 

There is a really amazing article on roadbikereview.com on drugs and cycling if you have the time, it discusses how the drug got a bad name and became a banned substance and how they haven't been able to sufficiently prove that it is dangerous in small quantities. 

 

http://www.roadbikereview.com/reviews/the-hot-roman-day-when-doping-became-bad-a-chapter-from-spitting-in-the-soup

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I also assume that you hemocrit (spelling) levels would need to below 50 as well. Even if it is allowed.

Haematocrit ????

[V12man]

Before anyone asks, it's not treatment for being a talentless cyclist... 

 

My wife struggles with thalessemia and I was wondering if anyone knows of EPO being used as a treatment for this? Thalessemia is essentially less hemoglobin and have fewer circulating red blood cells than normal. FWIW, she's had the usual treatments for this to little effect and this request is a sincere one. Thanks!

Hi

 

Thalessemia is a genetic disorder where the body cannot make normal haemoglobin - so using EPO will have little benefit if the body has no capacity to make haemoglobin, and the normal treatment is transfusion for major thallesemia - often combined with iron chelation to remove excess iron from the body.

 

People who suffer from minor thallesemia do not normally require transfusions, and it is possible that EPO might have some benefit.

 

This is definately something a specialist haemotologist should be consulted on.

 

I did a quick search:

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3065733/

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15153710

 

Seem to indicate that for some classes of patients there are benefits - but I don't profess to know if there are later and better treatments available - best to find a jewish haemotologist....