The Clinical Evaluation of the Dose of Erythropoietins Trial (CEDOSE)

Effects of the Dose of Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents on Cardiac-cerebrovascular Outcomes Quality of Life and Costs in Hemodialysis Patients. The Clinical Evaluation of the DOSe of Erythropoietins (C.E. DOSE) Trial

Anaemia is a risk factor for death, cardiac-cerebrovascular events and poor quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents (ESAs) are the most used treatment option. The purpose of this study is the evaluation of biochemical markers to determine the efficacy of individual prediction of ESAs therapy to determine the benefits and harms of different ESA doses therapeutic strategy for the management of anaemia of end stage kidney disease (ESKD).

Phase III pragmatic, randomized-controlled trial comparing different doses of ESAs in patients with renal anaemia. Study Sample: Total of 900 participants from Italy Background and Rationale: Anaemia is a risk factor for death, cardiac-cerebrovascular events and poor quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents (ESA) are the most used treatment option. In observational studies higher haemoglobin (Hb) levels (around 10-13 g/dL) are associated with improved survival and quality of life compared to lower Hb levels (around 9 g/dL). Randomized studies have found that higher Hb targets, achieved and maintained with ESA, cause an increased risk of death, mainly due to adverse cardiac-cerebrovascular outcomes. It is possible that such effect is mediated by ESA dose. This hypothesis has not been formally tested and is the aim of the Clinical Evaluation of the DOSe of Erythropoietins (CEDOSE) trial. CEDOSE is the first independent multicentre trial exploring the benefits and harms of different ESA doses therapeutic strategy for the management of anaemia of end stage kidney disease (ESKD). Hypothesis: ESA resistance is associated with adverse vascular outcomes and poor quality of life in ESKD. The CEDOSE trial will evaluate the biochemical markers to determine the efficacy of individual prediction of ESAs therapy; moreover it will evaluate the benefits and harms of two fixed ESA doses and explore the role of two treatment strategies, one based on a low and one based on a high ESA dose. Interventions and Comparison: Patients will be randomized 1:1 to 4000 IU/week iv. versus 18000 IU/week iv. of epoetin alfa, beta or any other epoetin in equivalent doses.

Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents (ESAs): epoetin alfa, beta or any other epoetin in equivalent dose.

Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents (ESAs): epoetin alfa, beta or any other epoetin in equivalent dose.

TSAT (transferrin saturation), serum albumin, serum ferritin, serum transferrin, serum C reactive protein

hospitalizations due to acute coronary syndrome, transitory ischemic attacks, not planned coronary revascularization, peripheric revascularization.

composite of all-cause mortality, non fatal myocardial infarction and stroke, hospitalizations due to acute coronary syndrome, transitory ischaemic attacks, not planned coronary revascularization procedures, peripheric revascularization procedures.

Inclusion Criteria: Age > = 18, End stage kidney disease and anemia Treatment with hemodialysis for renal replacement therapy no contraindications to erythropoietin stimulating agents (ESAs) or already treated with ESAs Exclusion Criteria: Patients with Hb levels > 10 g/dl without ESAs

Strippoli GF; Clinical Evaluation of the DOse of Erythropoietins Study Group (C.E. DOSE). Effects of the dose of erythropoiesis stimulating agents on cardiovascular events, quality of life, and health-related costs in hemodialysis patients: the clinical evaluation of the dose of erythropoietins (C.E. DOSE) trial protocol. Trials. 2010 Jun 9;11:70. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-11-70.

Saglimbene V, D'Alonzo D, Ruospo M, Vecchio M, Natale P, Gargano L, Nicolucci A, Pellegrini F, Craig JC, Triolo G, Procaccini DA, Santoro A, Di Giulio S, La Rosa S, Murgo A, Di Toro Mammarella R, Sambati M, D'Ambrosio N, Greco V, Giannoccaro G, Flammini A, Boccia E, Montalto G, Pagano S, Amaru S, Fici M, Lumaga GB, Mancini E, Veronesi M, Patregnani L, Querques M, Schiavone P, Chimienti S, Palumbo R, Di Franco D, Della Volpe M, Gori E, Salomone M, Iacono A, Moscoloni M, Treglia A, Casu D, Piras AM, Di Silva A, Mandreoli M, Lopez A, Quarello F, Catizone L, Russo G, Forcellini S, Maccarone M, Catucci G, Di Paolo B, Stingone A, D'Angelo B, Guastoni C, Pasquali S, Minoretti C, Bellasi A, Boscutti G, Martone M, David S, Schito F, Urban L, Di Iorio B, Caruso F, Mazzoni A, Musacchio R, Andreoli D, Cossu M, Li Cavoli G, Cornacchiari M, Granata A, Clementi A, Giordano R, Guastoni C, Barzaghi W, Valentini M, Hegbrant J, Tognoni G, Strippoli GF. [Effects of dose of erythropoiesis stimulating agents on cardiovascular outcomes, quality of life and costs of haemodialysis. the clinical evaluation of the DOSe of erythropoietins (C.E. DOSE) Trial]. G Ital Nefrol. 2013 Mar-Apr;30(2):gin/30.2.21. Italian.