COMFORT Study: A Crossover Study of NeoRecormon (Epoetin Beta) and Darbepoetin Alfa in Patients With Renal Anemia.

A Randomised, Cross-Over Study to Investigate the Comfort of Injection of Renal Anaemia Patients Receiving Subcutaneous NeoRecormon® Compared to Darbepoetin Alfa.

This study will assess the comfort of subcutaneous injections of NeoRecormon and darbepoetin alfa (Aranesp) in patients with renal anemia. Eligible patients will be randomized to receive comparable subcutaneous injections of either darbepoetin alfa (30 micrograms) or NeoRecormon (6000IU). They will then be crossed over to the alternative treatment arm for further treatment. After each injection pain will be assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and 6-point verbal rating scale (VRS), and patient preference will be assessed. The anticipated time on study treatment is <3 months, and the target sample size is <100 individuals.

Inclusion Criteria:

• adult patients, >18 years of age;
• patients with renal anemia or post-transplant anemia.

Exclusion Criteria:

• poorly controlled hypertension;
• known hypersensitivity to NeoRecormon or darbepoetin alfa.