Background:

The serious burn represents the most severe type of biological aggression the body can suffer and endangers the patient's life due to the permanent risk of sepsis and progressive multisystem failure. Anemia affects the morbidity and mortality of seriously burned patient in serious condition; its treatment has gone through different moments in history and its correction depends on blood transfusions that increase the risk of complications and adverse reactions.

Objective:

To update knowledge about the usefulness of erythropoietin in the treatment of anemia in seriously burned patient.

Development:

The severity of the burn is determined by the intensity of the temperature and the duration of the exposure. Anemia is one of the most frequent complications in seriously burned patient and its treatment is sometimes limited to the use of blood transfusions. However, erythropoietin is a therapeutic alternative; it belongs to the family of cytokines, reaches the spinal cord, where it stimulates progenitor cells with the objective of achieving their transformation into erythrocytes. The administration of recombinant human erythropoietin in seriously burned patient with anemia is considered effective, since by stimulating the mechanisms of erythropoiesis, it produces a gradual but sustained elevation of the hematocrit accompanied by other beneficial effects.

Conclusions:

Human erythropoietin, due to its pharmacological characteristics, is shown as a treatment option for seriously burned patient with anemia by allowing the sustained recovery of hemoglobin values with a minimum of complications, reducing the use of blood transfusions that can increase the morbidity of these patients.

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