PROTECT: Prospective Trial on Erythropoietin in Clinical Transplantation

PROTECT: Prospective Trial on Erythropoietin in Clinical Transplantation

Randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, prospective trial investigating the effect of erythropoietin in renal transplantation.

The investigators postulate that erythropoietin reduces the risk of delayed graft function.

Randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, prospective trial in patients, receiving a kidney transplantation. Patients will be randomized to receive either Epoetin Beta (Neorecormon; Roche) or placebo.

The primary endpoint will be delayed graft function. The anticipated duration of this trial is 2 year and the target sample size is 60 patients per arm.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adult patients
• Receiving a kidney from a non-heart-beating donor category 3

Exclusion Criteria:

• Donor related factors: a prolonged warm ischaemic time (> 45 min); a cold ischaemic time of > 24 hours; serum creatinin of > 150 umol/l