Results of functional and electrophysiologic evaluation (mean ± SEM)
| 4 Weeks | 8 Weeks | |
|---|---|---|
| SFIa | ||
| NGF | −79.98 ± 4.58 | −64.65 ± 4.11 |
| EPO | −78.85 ± 3.87, P > .05 | −60.26 ± 2.91, P < .05 |
| MNCV (m/s)b | ||
| NGF | 9.20 ± 1.07 | 16.37 ± 3.40 |
| EPO | 10.60 ± 1.36, P < .05 | 20.56 ± 4.18, P < .05 |
a The SFI studies at 8 weeks postsurgery demonstrated better improvement in nerve function in rats that received EPO.
b Rats treated with EPO showed better results than those of the NGF group at the 2 time points.