Patients
Consecutive patients (18 to 85
years of age) scheduled for primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty
from September 2019 to May 2020 were enrolled. The exclusion criteria
included a diagnosis other than osteoarthritis (such as rheumatoid
arthritis or bone tumour), a known allergy to rhEPO, an Hb level more
than 130 g/L or less than 90 g/L, a history of a haematopoietic or
haemorrhagic disorder, a history of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or
pulmonary embolism (PE), ongoing anticoagulant treatment with
anticoagulant therapy (warfarin or heparin) within 1 week prior to
surgery, ongoing treatment with rhEPO within 3 months before admission,
preoperative hepatic or renal dysfunction or other underlying diseases
such as serious cardiac and/or cerebrovascular comorbidities, and
refusal to participate.