BACKGROUND: Red-cell transfusion is critical for surgery during the peri-operative period; however, the transfusion threshold remains controversial mainly owing to the diversity among patients. The patient's medical status should be evaluated before making a transfusion decision. Herein, we developed an individualized transfusion strategy using the West-China-Liu's Score based on the physiology of oxygen delivery/consumption balance and designed an open-label, multicenter, randomized clinical trial to verify whether it reduced red cell requirement as compared with that associated with restrictive and liberal strategies safely and effectively, providing valid evidence for peri-operative transfusion. METHODS: Patients aged >14 years undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery with estimated blood loss > 1000 mL or 20% blood volume and hemoglobin concentration <10 g/dL were randomly assigned to an individualized strategy, a restrictive strategy following China's guideline or a liberal strategy with a transfusion threshold of hemoglobin concentration <9.5 g/dL. We evaluated two primary outcomes: the proportion of patients who received red blood cells (superiority test) and a composite of in-hospital complications and all-cause mortality by day 30 (non-inferiority test). RESULTS: We enrolled 1182 patients: 379, 419, and 384 received individualized, restrictive, and liberal strategies, respectively. Approximately 30.6% (116/379) of patients in the individualized strategy received a red-cell transfusion, less than 62.5% (262/419) in the restrictive strategy (absolute risk difference, 31.92%; 97.5% confidence interval [CI]: 24.42-39.42%; odds ratio, 3.78%; 97.5% CI: 2.70-5.30%; P <0.001), and 89.8% (345/384) in the liberal strategy (absolute risk difference, 59.24%; 97.5% CI: 52.91-65.57%; odds ratio, 20.06; 97.5% CI: 12.74-31.57; P <0.001). No statistically significant differences were found in the composite of in-hospital complications and mortality by day 30 among the three strategies. CONCLUSION: The individualized red-cell transfusion strategy using the West-China-Liu's Score reduced red-cell transfusion without increasing in-hospital complications and mortality by day 30 when compared with restrictive and liberal strategies in elective non-cardiac surgeries. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01597232.
Humans ; Adult ; Postoperative Complications ; Erythrocyte Transfusion/adverse effects* ; Blood Transfusion ; Hospitals ; Hemoglobins/analysis*

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and evaluate the efficacy of Rh phenotype matched blood transfusion. METHODS: The increasing of hemoglobin (Hb) and hemolysis tests in the patients treated by Rh matched red blood cells or not, as well as the first time unmatched transfusions and the unmatched transfusions happened again after a period (≥10 d) were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 674 times transfusions in 120 patients were evaluated. The increasing of Hb in each unit was higher in the patients treated by Rh matched blood transfusion (vs unmatched) [(33.397±1.475) g/U vs (29.951±1.304) g/U, P=0.033], while the increasing of Hb at first time unmatched transfusion and the second time unmatched transfusion was not statistically different[ (28.942±2.083) g/U vs (30.686±1.737) g/U, P=0.589]. The level of lactate dehydrogenase were related to erythrocyte washing, irradiation, period of validity and the second time unmatched transtusion (all P<0.05); the levels of total bilirubin (TBil), direct bilirubin (DBil) and indirect bilirubin (IBil) between the first time unmatched transfusion and the second time unmatched transfusion were statistically different (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION For the patients need multiple blood transfusions, Rh phenotype matched blood transfusion can reduce the exposure to Rh allogenic antigens, improve the efficacy and ensure the safety of blood transfusion.
Bilirubin ; Blood Transfusion ; Erythrocyte Transfusion/adverse effects* ; Hemoglobins/analysis* ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Retrospective Studies

This paper is aimed to assess the effects of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion on clinical outcomes in cardiac surgery. Trials were identified by computer searches of the Pubmed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library (Issue 10, 2012), from January 1980 to October 2012. References in identified trials and review articles were checked and experts contacted to identify any additional trials. The homogeneous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were analyzed with RevMan 5.1 software. Five trials involving a total of 1,203 patients were identified. The results of meta-analyses showed that restrictive transfusion strategies reduced the risk of receiving a RBC transfusion (MD = - 1.46, 95% CI -1.18(-) -1.1) and the volume of RBCs transfusion (RR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.53-0.89). No significant difference was noted between the two strategies in terms of mortality, adverse events and hospital or intensive care length of stay. Based on the results mentioned above, one can draw a conclusion that restrictive transfusion strategies reduced the risk of receiving RBC transfusion and the volume of RBCs transfused. Restrictive transfusion strategies did not appear to impact on the rate of adverse events and hospital or intensive care length of stay, compared to liberal transfusion strategies.
Cardiac Surgical Procedures ; adverse effects ; Erythrocyte Transfusion ; Humans ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Treatment Outcome

Perioperative restrictive red blood cell(RBC)transfusion strategy,in which a trigger of hemoglobin(Hb)<7 g/dl is used,is of great benefits to save blood storage and reduce transfusion-related adverse events including infections,immunologic risks,and circulatory overload.Human body can display a series of compensatory mechanisms to acute anemia,including increased cardiac output,favored oxyhemoglobin dissociation,and lung vascular dilation.Therefore,moderate Hb decrease does not necessarily lead to hypoxemia.Patients undergoing hip surgery or suffering from septic shock and/or upper gastrointestinal bleeding can benefit from restrictive RBC transfusion;however,restrictive transfusion may be associated with adverse outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease or undergoing cardiac surgery.Restrictive RBC transfusion strategies have been included in described in many different guidelines.Most of them recommended Hb<7 g/dl to be a trigger for allogeneic RBC transfusion.For patients with an Hb of 7-10 g/dl,the application of restrictive RBC transfusion should be based on the expected blood loss,compensatory ability,and metabolic rate.
Erythrocyte Transfusion ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Humans ; Perioperative Care ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVEBlood transfusion saves lives but may also increase the risk of injury. The objective of this review was to evaluate the possible adverse effects related to transfusion of red blood cell (RBC) concentrates stored for prolonged periods.

DATA SOURCESThe data used in this review were mainly from PubMed articles published in English up to February 2015.

STUDY SELECTIONClinical and basic research articles were selected according to their relevance to this topic.

RESULTSThe ex vivo changes to RBC that occur during storage are collectively called storage lesion. It is still inconclusive if transfusion of RBC with storage lesion has clinical relevance. Multiple ongoing prospective randomized controlled trials are aimed to clarify this clinical issue. It was observed that the adverse events related to stored RBC transfusion were prominent in certain patient populations, including trauma, critical care, pediatric, and cardiac surgery patients, which leads to the investigation of underlying mechanisms. It is demonstrated that free hemoglobin toxicity, decreasing of nitric oxide bioavailability, and free iron-induced increasing of inflammation may play an important role in this process.

CONCLUSIONIt is still unclear whether transfusion of older RBC has adverse effects, and if so, which factors determine such clinical effects. However, considering the magnitude of transfusion and the widespread medical significance, potential preventive strategies should be considered, especially for the susceptible recipients.

Blood Preservation ; adverse effects ; Erythrocyte Transfusion ; adverse effects ; Erythrocytes ; metabolism ; physiology ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; Time Factors

Liver transplantation is the only curative therapy for patients with end-stage liver disease. The high success rate and the increasing demand for the transplantation sometimes calls for ABO-compatible but nonidentical blood group orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), which affords the opportunity to the production of antibody to red blood cells. Hemolytic anemia usually occurs 1 to 2 weeks after transplantation. Although mild in most patients, it can be life-threatening. Until now, a few cases showing hemolytic anemia due to donor ABO antibody formation after ABO-nonidentical OLT have been reported. In the reported cases of hemolytic anemia, most ABO-nonidentical OLT cases were O-to-A, but few reports are available on this subject with O-to-B ABO- nonidentical OLT. Herein, we report the experience with hemolysis after ABO-nonidentical OLT in a group O donor into a group B recipient and the successful treatment with transfusion of washed group O red blood cells and 60 mg dose of prednisolone for 3 days.
*ABO Blood-Group System ; Adult ; Anemia, Hemolytic/*etiology/therapy ; Blood Group Incompatibility/*complications ; Erythrocyte Transfusion/adverse effects ; Glucocorticoids/*administration & dosage ; Humans ; *Liver Transplantation ; Male ; Prednisolone/*administration & dosage

PURPOSE: Anemia of prematurity is frequent in preterm infants, for which red blood cell (RBC) transfusion remains the treatment of choice. In this study, we attempted to evaluate the characteristics and risk factors of anemia of prematurity, and suggest ways to reduce anemia and the need for multiple transfusions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preterm infants weighing less than 1500 g (May 2008-May 2009) were divided into two groups depending on whether they received RBC transfusions (transfusion group and non transfusion group). Hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, phlebotomy blood loss, and the amount of RBC transfusion were analyzed. Risk factors of anemia and RBC transfusions were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty infants that survived were enrolled in the present study: 39 in the transfusion group and 11 in the non transfusion group. Hb concentrations gradually decreased by eight weeks. In the transfusion group, gestational age and birth weight were smaller, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and sepsis were more frequent, full feeding was delayed, parenteral nutrition and days spent in the hospital were prolonged, and phlebotomy blood loss was greater than that in the non transfusion group. CONCLUSION: Anemia of prematurity was correlated with increased laboratory blood loss, decreased birth weight, prolonged parenteral nutrition, and delayed body weight gain. Accordingly, reducing laboratory phlebotomy loss and parenteral nutrition, as well as improving body weight gain, may be beneficial to infants with anemia of prematurity.
Anemia, Neonatal/complications/*therapy ; Birth Weight ; Erythrocyte Transfusion/*adverse effects ; Gestational Age ; Hemoglobins/metabolism ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; *Infant, Premature ; *Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The financial burden of caring for iron-related complications (IRCs) is an emerging medical problem in Korea, as in Western countries. We produced a preliminary estimate of the costs of treating patients for IRCs. METHODS: The medical records of patients who had received multiple transfusions were reviewed. Newly developed cardiomyopathy, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis, and liver cancer were defined as IRCs. The costs of laboratory studies, medication, oxygenation, intervention, and education were calculated using working criteria we defined. Costs that had a definite causal relationship with IRCs were included to produce as accurate an estimate as possible. RESULTS: Between 2002 and 2006, 650 patients with hematologic diseases, including 358 with acute leukemia, 102 with lymphoma, 58 with myelodysplastic syndrome or myeloproliferative disease, 46 with multiple myeloma, and 31 with chronic leukemia, received more than 10 units of red blood cells. Nine patients developed IRCs. The primary diagnoses of eight patients were aplastic anemia and that of one patient was chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Two patients who had diabetes were excluded because one was treated at another hospital and the other was diagnosed as oxymetholone-induced diabetes. Of the seven patients included, liver cirrhosis developed in two, heart failure in four, and diabetes mellitus in three. Some of them had two diagnoses. The total cost attributed to IRCs for the seven patients was 47,388,241 KRW (approximately 50,000 USD). CONCLUSIONS: The medical costs of IRCs are considerable, and more effective iron-chelating therapy is necessary to save medical resources and improve patient care. More in the way of comprehensive health and economic studies of IRCs are needed to allow both clinicians and health-policy makers to make better decisions.
Adult ; Costs and Cost Analysis/methods ; Erythrocyte Transfusion/adverse effects ; Female ; Health Care Costs/*statistics & numerical data ; Hematologic Diseases/therapy ; Humans ; Iron/blood ; Iron Chelating Agents/*economics/therapeutic use ; Iron Overload/*economics/etiology/*therapy ; Korea ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies

When treating trauma patients with severe hemorrhage, massive transfusions are often needed. Damage control resuscitation strategies can be used for such patients, but an adequate fresh frozen plasma: packed red blood cell (FFP:PRBC) administration ratio must be established. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 100 trauma patients treated with massive transfusions from March 2010 to October 2012. We divided the patients into 2 groups according to the FFP:PRBC ratio: a high-ratio (> or =0.5) and a low-ratio group (<0.5). The patient demographics, fluid and transfusion quantities, laboratory values, complications, and outcomes were analyzed and compared. There were 68 patients in the high-ratio and 32 in the low-ratio group. There were statistically significant differences between groups in the quantities of FFP, FFP:PRBC, platelets, and crystalloids administered, as well as the initial diastolic blood pressure. Bloodstream infections were noted only in the high-ratio group, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.028). Kaplan-Meier plots revealed that the 24-hr survival rate was significantly higher in the high-ratio group (71.9% vs. 97.1%, P<0.001). In severe hemorrhagic trauma, raising the FFP:PRBC ratio to 0.5 or higher may increase the chances of survival. Efforts to minimize bloodstream infections during the resuscitation must be increased.
Acute Lung Injury/epidemiology/etiology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Bacterial Infections/epidemiology ; *Blood Transfusion/adverse effects ; *Erythrocyte Transfusion/adverse effects ; Female ; Hemorrhage/etiology/*prevention & control ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patients ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult/epidemiology/etiology ; Resuscitation ; Retrospective Studies ; Wounds and Injuries/complications/mortality/*therapy ; Young Adult