Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials on Androgens versus Erythropoietin for Anaemia of Chronic Kidney Disease: Implications for Developing Countries

Table 1

Characteristics of included studies.

Author	Country	Setting	Number of patients			Mean age + SD			Dose of nandrolone	Duration	Iron studies
			Males	Females	Total	Nandrolone	EPO	Total
Navarro et al. [4]	Spain	CAPD	27	0	27	62±7.00	60 ± 8.00	61 ± 7.00	200 mg/week	3 months	NR
Gascon et al. [5]	Spain	Hemodialysis	26	7	33	70 ± 4.00	72 ± 4.00	NR	200 mg/week	6 months	NS
Aggarwal et al. [6]	India	Predialysis	30	0	30	46 ± 12.61	49.90 ± 13.80	NR	100 mg/week	3 months	NS
Singh et al. [7]	India	Predialysis	12	12	24	NR	NR	NR	200 mg/week	6 months	NS

Key: CAPD: continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, EPO: erythropoietin, NR: not reported, Iron studies: differences in iron studies at baseline between nandrolone group and EPO group, and NS: not significant.