OBJECTIVE: To determine how current hospital practice for transfusions of red cells, platelets and fresh frozen plasma conformed with published criteria. DESIGN: Elaboration of criteria for transfusion from a review of the current literature; and analysis of the medical records of patients receiving transfusions of red cells (200), platelets (215), and fresh frozen plasma (260) during defined time periods in 1993. SETTING: A large tertiary care teaching hospital. OUTCOME MEASURES: Inappropriateness rates for transfusion episodes and numbers of individual units of blood products administered. RESULTS: Inappropriateness rates for transfusion episodes and numbers of individual units administered were 16% and 10% for red cells, 13% and 11% for platelets, and 24% and 16% for fresh frozen plasma (31% and 21% when transfusions for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura were excluded). Red cells and fresh frozen plasma were used inappropriately most frequently in association with a surgical procedure; for platelets, it was their use for bleeding. In many of the transfusions deemed inappropriate, deficiencies of red cells, platelets and/or coagulation factors were documented, but the degree of deficiency did not meet the stringent appropriateness criteria. Twenty-six transfusions were deemed inappropriate because the indication was not documented in the medical record. CONCLUSIONS: Specific problem areas in which blood product use was inappropriate were identified. Guidelines for transfusion appropriateness, education of hospital staff, and a monitoring system to ensure adherence to the guidelines, are required.
OBJECTIVE: To determine how current hospital practice for transfusions of red cells, platelets and fresh frozen plasma conformed with published criteria. DESIGN: Elaboration of criteria for transfusion from a review of the current literature; and analysis of the medical records of patients receiving transfusions of red cells (200), platelets (215), and fresh frozen plasma (260) during defined time periods in 1993. SETTING: A large tertiary care teaching hospital. OUTCOME MEASURES: Inappropriateness rates for transfusion episodes and numbers of individual units of blood products administered. RESULTS: Inappropriateness rates for transfusion episodes and numbers of individual units administered were 16% and 10% for red cells, 13% and 11% for platelets, and 24% and 16% for fresh frozen plasma (31% and 21% when transfusions for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura were excluded). Red cells and fresh frozen plasma were used inappropriately most frequently in association with a surgical procedure; for platelets, it was their use for bleeding. In many of the transfusions deemed inappropriate, deficiencies of red cells, platelets and/or coagulation factors were documented, but the degree of deficiency did not meet the stringent appropriateness criteria. Twenty-six transfusions were deemed inappropriate because the indication was not documented in the medical record. CONCLUSIONS: Specific problem areas in which blood product use was inappropriate were identified. Guidelines for transfusion appropriateness, education of hospital staff, and a monitoring system to ensure adherence to the guidelines, are required.
Authors: A Westbrook; V Pettilä; A Nichol; M J Bailey; G Syres; L Murray; R Bellomo; E Wood; L E Phillips; A Street; C French; N Orford; J Santamaria; D J Cooper Journal: Intensive Care Med Date: 2010-05-04 Impact factor: 17.440