EPO and infection: Also, in another study conducted by Arslantaş et al. [65] that evaluated the effect of systemic erythropoietin on healing of rats’ ischemic wounds reported that in EPO treated group, tissue flaps showed ulceration, necrosis, and abscess formation eventhough it had a positive effect on the 7th day, also two rats in the EPO group deceased owing to tissue necrosis and infection which could be attributed to the elevated hematocrit and hemoglobin levels, hindering microcirculation.