Darbepoetin Fails to Help Anemic Patients with Heart Failure.

Treatment with darbepoetin alfa (to achieve a hemoglobin target of 13 g/dL) did not improve clinical outcomes in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 2278 patients with systolic heart failure and mild-to-moderate anemia. In the NEJM study, a composite of death from any cause or hospitalization for worsening heart failure occurred in 50.7% of patients receiving drug and 49.5% of patients receiving placebo. Fatal/nonfatal stroke occurred in 3.7% of patients receiving darbepoetin alfa and 2.7% of patients receiving placebo. Thromboembolic adverse events occurred in 13.5% of patients in the drug group and 10.0% in the placebo group.