We observed a low rate of disease progression to AML or other leukaemias, in accordance with other studies evaluating the use of darbepoetin alfa (Stasi et al, 2005; Mannone et al, 2006) or erythropoietin alfa (Hellstrom-Lindberg et al, 1998) in low-risk MDS patients. Here, EPO is linked to myelodysplastic syndrome.