Factors associated with the avoidance of red blood cell transfusion after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

BACKGROUND: Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is required frequently for most patients after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). RBC transfusion, however, can be associated with adverse events including transfusion reactions, acquiring transmissible disease, and delayed recovery. Factors associated with avoidance of transfusion are not well documented. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Data concerning RBC transfusions between Day 0 and Day +30 were analyzed for patients undergoing HSCT at a single Canadian transplant center between January 2002 and December 2007. RESULTS: Of 555 patients undergoing HSCT with complete RBC transfusion data, 59 patients (10.6%) did not require RBC transfusion in the first 30 days after HSCT. Univariate analysis showed no significant difference in age, graft source, donor type, or conditioning regimen between transfused and nontransfused patients. Factors that were significantly associated with avoidance of transfusion included male sex (p = 0.0013), diagnosis, specifically plasma cell dyscrasias (p < 0.0001), early‐stage disease (p = 0.006), and higher baseline hemoglobin (Hb) at time of transplant (p < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, higher pretransplant Hb, male sex, and early‐stage disease remained significantly associated with avoidance of RBC transfusion. Pretransplant Hb correlated inversely with the number of RBC transfusions (r = ?0.89). CONCLUSION: Increased pretransplant Hb, male sex, and early‐stage disease are associated with avoidance of RBC transfusion after HSCT. Interventions aimed at improving pretransplant Hb levels require further study.     

Duration of red blood cells storage and outcome in critically ill patients

Purpose

There is conflicting evidence on the effect of red blood cells (RBC) storage duration and clinical outcomes. We aimed to investigate the association between RBC storage duration and clinical outcomes in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Materials and Methods

We retrospectively (2001-2011) studied adults admitted to the ICUs of 2 hospitals who received RBC. Using the mean, maximum and minimum age of RBC units transfused, we evaluated the association between RBC storage duration and mortality. We also analyzed the association between mean age of RBC units and length of stay (LOS) in survivors. We performed sensitivity analyses in patients who only received RBC in ICU and who only received leukodepleted RBC.

Results

We studied 8416 patients who received a median of 4 (interquartile range, 2-7) RBC units. After multivariate analysis, age of RBC was not independently associated with mortality, including in the subgroup analyses. Furthermore, there was no clinically relevant relationship between mean RBC age and LOS.

Conclusions

RBC storage duration was not associated with increased mortality nor ICU and hospital LOS. These results support the view that the effect of RBC storage duration on outcomes in critically ill patients is uncertain.     

Number of RBC units and rate of transfusionto anemic HIV-positive patients assigned to receiveWBC-reduced or non-WBC-reduced RBCs: the viral activation transfusion study experience

BACKGROUND: It is known that the use of filtration to reduce WBCs in RBC units is associated with a 6- to 15-percent loss of RBCs. It is not known if the use of such WBC-reduced RBCs results in an increased need for RBC units or in the transfusion of more units per year to patients with anemia. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In the multicenter Viral Activation Transfusion Study (VATS), anemic HIV-positive patients were randomly assigned to receive either WBC-reduced or non-WBC-reduced RBCs. The number of RBC units transfused per patient and the rate of RBC use were studied. All RBC units given after the enrollment transfusion were counted, until the end of follow-up or the occurrence of bleeding (receiving >5 RBCs within 2 consecutive days). RESULTS: As expected, the WBC-reduced RBC units in VATS were lighter in weight than the non-WBC-reduced units (median weight: WBC-reduced, 300 g; non-WBC-reduced, 330 g; p<0.0001). After the enrollment transfusion, 258 WBC-reduced arm patients received 1279 units of RBCs (average, 5.0 units/patient, median, 2 units) while 262 patients in the non-WBC-reduced arm received 1111 RBCs (4.2 units/patient; median, 2 units). The number of units transfused for anemia was slightly greater in the WBC-reduced arm, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.41). Similarly, the rate of RBC use was somewhat higher in the WBC-reduced arm, but the difference was not significant (p = 0.14). The median was 2.3 units per patient per year of follow-up in the WBC-reduced arm; the median in the non-WBC-reduced arm was 1.2 units. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that WBC-reduced RBC units are significantly lighter in weight than non-WBC-reduced RBCs. However, in the setting of a large, randomized, blinded study of transfusion for anemia, the smaller size of the WBC-reduced RBC units had no significant effect on the number of RBC units transfused or on the rate at which RBC units were used. In this study, the frequency of blood transfusion may have had a greater relationship to the frequency of routine, scheduled appointments or transfusion orders for a specified Hb trigger than to the actual Hb content of the unit.     

Baseline haemoglobin and thromboelastometry are predictive of red blood cell requirements and one-year mortality in liver transplantation

BackgroundTo determine the predictive capacity of baseline haemoglobin and maxim clot firmness (MCF) EXTEM thromboelastometry for intraoperative red blood cell (RBC) requirements and its influence on mortality.Methods591 adult liver transplant (LT) recipients from ten Spanish centres were reviewed. The main outcomes were the percentage of patients who received RBC and massive transfusion (≥ 6 RBC units), RBC units transfused, and mortality.Results76 % received a donor after brain death graft and 24 % a controlled donor after circulatory death graft. Median (interquartile ranges) RBC transfusion was 2 (0–4) units, and 63 % of patients were transfused. Comparing transfused and non-transfused patients, mean (standard deviation) for baseline haemoglobin was 10.4 (2.1) vs. 13.0 (1.9) g/dl (p = 0.001), EXTEM MCF was 51(11) vs. 55(9) mm (p = 0.001). Haemoglobin and EXTEM MCF were inversely associated with the need of transfusion odds ratio (OR) of 0.558 (95 % CI 0.497–0.627, p < 0.001) and OR 0.966 (95 % CI0.945–0.987, p = 0.002), respectively. Pre-operative baseline haemoglobin ≤ 10 g/dL predicted RBC transfusion, sensitivity of 93 % and specificity of 47 %. Massive transfusion (MT) was received by 19 % of patients. Haemoglobin ≤10 g/dL predicted MT with sensitivity 73 % and specificity of 52 %. One-year patient and graft survival were significantly lower in patients who required MT (78 % and 76 %, respectively) vs. those who did not (94 % and 93 %, respectively).Discussionwhereas EXTEM MCF is less dreterminant predicting RBC requirements, efforts are required to improve preoperative haemoglobin up to 10 g/dl in patients awaiting LT.     

Transmission of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection by leukoreduced blood products not tested for CMV antibodies: a single-center prospective study in high-risk patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (CME)

BACKGROUND: Measures to prevent transfusion‐transmitted cytomegalovirus (TT‐CMV) infection after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) include transfusion of CMV antibody–negative blood units and/or transfusion of leukoreduced cellular blood products. We assessed the incidence of TT‐CMV in CMV‐seronegative patients receiving CMV‐seronegative HSC transplants, who were transfused with leukoreduced cellular blood products not tested for anti‐CMV. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In a prospective observational study between 1999 and 2009, all HSCT patients received leukoreduced cellular blood products not tested for anti‐CMV. Patients were screened for CMV serostatus and CMV‐negative recipients of CMV‐negative transplants were systematically monitored for TT‐CMV clinically and by CMV nucleic acid testing. Anti‐CMV antibodies (immunoglobulin [Ig]G and IgM) were assessed after three time intervals (Interval 1, study inclusion to Day +30 after HSCT; Interval 2, Day +30‐Day +100; Interval 3, after Day +100). RESULTS: Among 142 patients treated with allogeneic HSCT, 23 CMV‐negative donor‐patient pairs were identified. These 23 patients received 1847 blood products from 3180 donors. All patients remained negative for CMV DNA and none developed CMV‐associated clinical complications. This results in a risk for TT‐CMV per donor exposure of 0% (95% confidence interval, 0.0%‐0.12%). However, 17 of 23 patients seroconverted for anti‐CMV IgG, but none for anti‐CMV IgM. CMV IgG seroconverters received significantly more transfusions per week than nonconverters. CONCLUSION: The risk of TT‐CMV is low in high‐risk CMV^neg/neg HSCT patients transfused with leukoreduced blood products not tested for anti‐CMV. The cause of anti‐CMV IgG seroconversion is most likely passive antibody transmission by blood products.     

Transfusion of fresh murine red blood cells reverses adverse effects of older stored red blood cells

BACKGROUND: Although a subset of recent studies have suggested that red blood cell (RBC) storage length is associated with adverse patient outcomes, others have shown no such relationship. Adults may be transfused with RBC units of different storage lengths, and existing studies do not take into consideration that fresh RBCs may alter responses to concurrently transfused stored RBCs. To test this possibility, we utilized a murine model and investigated transfusion outcomes of fresh, stored, or fresh‐plus‐stored RBCs. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Fresh, 14‐day‐stored or fresh plus 14‐day‐stored leukoreduced RBCs from HOD‐transgenic donors (with RBC‐specific expression of hen egg lysozyme, ovalbumin, and human Duffy^b) were transfused into naïve C57BL/6 recipients. Serum cytokines and anti‐HOD alloimmunization were evaluated after transfusion. RESULTS: In six of six experiments (n = 90 mice total), a proinflammatory serum cytokine storm of interleukin‐6, keratinocyte‐derived chemokine/CXCL1, and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 was observed in transfusion recipients of stored but not fresh RBCs, along with high degrees of anti‐HOD alloimmunization. However, concurrent transfusion of fresh HOD RBCs along with stored HOD RBCs significantly decreased these adverse outcomes (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with fresh murine HOD RBCs losing protective properties during storage, and introduce a previously unrecognized variable in RBC storage studies. If translatable to humans, uniform “old blood” groups may be needed in future clinical studies to more accurately investigate the biologic effects of older RBC units.     

Allogeneic blood transfusion and postoperative duration of mechanical ventilation.

BACKGROUND: In patients having open heart surgery, allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) may be related to an enhanced inflammatory response and impaired pulmonary function, resulting in the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The records of 416 consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital were reviewed. Possible predictors and the number of days of postoperative ventilation, as well as the number of RBC units transfused and the length of their storage, were recorded. The association between mechanical ventilation after the day of operation and the number of RBC units transfused was calculated by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The number of RBC units transfused, but not the length of their storage, differed (p<0.0001) among patients ventilated for 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 or more days after the day of operation. Patients taken off ventilation on the day of operation received (mean +/- SE) 2.01 +/- 0.14 RBC units; patients kept on ventilation for 4 or more days received 9.45 +/- 1.83 units. After adjusting for the effects of 18 confounding factors, the number of RBC units transfused was not a significant predictor of ventilation past the day of operation. There was, however, a trend suggesting that the likelihood of such ventilation might increase by 26 percent per RBC unit transfused (p = 0.0628). CONCLUSIONS: Future studies of the outcomes of ABT should examine further the possibility of a relationship between the number of transfused RBCs and the likelihood of postoperative ventilation after the day of operation.     

The CRIT Study: Anemia and blood transfusion in the critically ill--current clinical practice in the United States

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the incidence of anemia and red blood cell (RBC) transfusion practice in critically ill patients and to examine the relationship of anemia and RBC transfusion to clinical outcomes. DESIGN: Prospective, multiple center, observational cohort study of intensive care unit (ICU) patients in the United States. Enrollment period was from August 2000 to April 2001. Patients were enrolled within 48 hrs of ICU admission. Patient follow-up was for 30 days, hospital discharge, or death, whichever occurred first. SETTING: A total of 284 ICUs (medical, surgical, or medical-surgical) in 213 hospitals participated in the study. PATIENTS: A total of 4,892 patients were enrolled in the study. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The mean hemoglobin level at baseline was 11.0 +/- 2.4 g/dL. Hemoglobin level decreased throughout the duration of the study. Overall, 44% of patients received one or more RBC units while in the ICU (mean, 4.6 +/- 4.9 units). The mean pretransfusion hemoglobin was 8.6 +/- 1.7 g/dL. The mean time to first ICU transfusion was 2.3 +/- 3.7 days. More RBC transfusions were given in study week 1; however, in subsequent weeks, subjects received one to two RBC units per week while in the ICU. The number of RBC transfusions a patient received during the study was independently associated with longer ICU and hospital lengths of stay and an increase in mortality. Patients who received transfusions also had more total complications and were more likely to experience a complication. Baseline hemoglobin was related to the number of RBC transfusions, but it was not an independent predictor of length of stay or mortality. However, a nadir hemoglobin level of <9 g/dL was a predictor of increased mortality and length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Anemia is common in the critically ill and results in a large number of RBC transfusions. Transfusion practice has changed little during the past decade. The number of RBC units transfused is an independent predictor of worse clinical outcome.     

输血支持在造血干细胞移植中的应用

背景:接受造血干细胞移植的患者经常需要血液制品输注支持,而患者对红细胞和血小板输注的需求差异非常大,这主要依赖于造血干细胞移植的类型和患者本身的疾病性质。目的:评价中山大学附属中山医院接受造血干细胞移植患者移植期间输血的需求和数量。方法:收集中山大学附属中山医院2004-01/2010-06接受造血干细胞移植患者的资料,包括移植的适应证、移植的类型、CD34+细胞的数量、红细胞和血小板的输注数量、费用、脱离输注时间以及中性粒细胞和血小板植入时间;红细胞输注的阈值是血红蛋白计数为70g/L,而血小板的输注阈值是计数为20×109L-1。研究分析了患者移植期间红细胞和血小板输注的需求、输注量、输血费用,以及患者的生存情况。结果与结论:自体造血干细胞移植组中有14例(93%)患者,而异基因造血干细胞移植组中有35例(90%)患者显示了造血细胞植入和脱离输注证据。自体造血干细胞移植组取得脱离红细胞输注天数为14.6d,明显短于异基因造血干细胞移植组。与异基因造血干细胞移植组比较,自体造血干细胞移植组红细胞输注单位明显减少;而异基因造血干细胞移植组的红细胞输注费用明显高于自体造血干细胞移植组。输血花费昂贵,但却是造血干细胞移植中必不可少的一部分,异基因造血干细胞移植组需要更多的输血支持。脱离输注时间有望成为评估造血干细胞移植成功的指标。     

Detection of anti-D in D- recipients transfused with D+ red blood cells

BACKGROUND: The D antigen is highly immunogenic, requiring only a small quantity of transfused red blood cells (RBCs) to cause alloimmunization in D- immunocompetent recipients. The relatively low sensitization rate in oncology patients transfused with D+ platelets is well documented. A study of the alloimmunization rate of primarily nononcology D- recipients transfused with D+ RBCs was undertaken. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Transfusion service records were examined to identify D- recipients who were not alloimmunized to the D antigen and who had a follow-up antibody screen performed at least 10 days after the initial D+ RBC transfusion(s). The age and sex of the recipients, date and number of D+ RBC transfusion(s) and their leukoreduction status, all subsequent serologic investigations, and the hospital ward where the units were issued were recorded. RESULTS: There were 98 study-eligible recipients identified who received a total of 445 D+ RBC units. The mean follow-up length was 182 days. Most recipients (87%) had antibody screens performed more than 21 days after the initial D+ RBC transfusion. In total, 24 recipients made 44 new alloantibodies: 22 anti-D (22%), 11 anti-E, 5 anti-C, 2 anti-K, and 1 each of anti-Kp(a), anti-Jk(a), anti-Bg, and anti-Fy(b). The rate of anti-D alloimmunization among recipients of entirely leukoreduced D+ units was 13 percent (1/8). Reexposure to D+ RBCs after the initial bleeding episode did not increase the rate of alloimmunization. CONCLUSIONS: The 22 percent rate of anti-D alloimmunization in patients requiring urgent RBC transfusion was intermediate between the rates previously reported for D- oncology patients transfused with D+ RBCs and that in immunocompetent volunteer recipients.     

Long-term survival after blood transfusion: a population based study in the North of England

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion may transmit infectious diseases with long incubation periods. Estimation of the risks of transmission of such disease requires know-ledge of long-term survival of transfused patients. No such information is available in the UK, where there is particular concern about possible transmission by trans-fusion of variant CJD. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Information on survival after transfusion and demographics was collected for all patients transfused during June 1994 in a population of 2.9 million served by a single blood center. RESULTS: A total of 2899 patients were transfused with 10,760 units of RBCs (99% of RBCs issued during the study period). Follow-up to death or 5 years was completed for 98.2 percent, and 46.9 percent of all transfusion recipients were alive at 5 years; 41 percent of transfused RBC units and 36 percent of transfused FFP were given to patients who were alive at 5 years. Median age at transfusion was 67 years (mean, 60.9 years). Shorter patient survival was associated with increasing patient age, increasing numbers of RBC units transfused, trans-fusion of plasma or PLTs, and nonsurgical indications for transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Posttransfusion survival is lower than estimated in previous decades in other countries. This is probably due to a relative increase in use of transfusion for older patients and for medical indications. Our figures may be used to predict and stratify the risk of infections, such as variant CJD, amongst different groups of transfusion recipients.     

A prospective,randomized clinical trial of universal WBC reduction

BACKGROUND: Recipient exposure to allogeneic donor WBCs results in transfusion complications for selected populations of recipients. Whether or not WBC reduction should be universally applied is highly controversial. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In a general hospital, a randomized, controlled clinical trial of conversion to universal WBC reduction was conducted. Patients (11%) with established medical indications for WBC-reduced blood were not eligible. All other patients who required transfusion were assigned at random to receive either unmodified blood components or stored WBC-reduced RBCs and platelets. Analysis for each patient was restricted to the first hospitalization. RESULTS: All eligible patients (n = 2780) were enrolled. Three specified primary outcome measures were not different between the two groups: 1) in-hospital mortality (8.5% control; 9.0% WBC-reduced; OR, 0.94 [95% CI, 0.72-1.22]; p = 0.64); 2) hospital length of stay (LOS) after transfusion (median number of days, 6.4 for control and 6.3 for WBC-reduced; p = 0.21); and 3) total hospital costs (median, $19,500 for control and $19,200 for WBC-reduced, p = 0.24). Secondary outcomes (intensive care LOS, postoperative LOS, antibiotic usage, and readmission rate) were not different between the two groups. Subgroup analysis based on patient age, sex, amount of blood transfused, or category of surgical procedure showed no effect of WBC reduction. Patients who received WBC-reduced blood had a lower incidence of febrile reactions (p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: A beneficial effect of conversion from selective to universal WBC reduction was not demonstrated.     

输血支持在造血干细胞移植中的应用

背景：接受造血干细胞移植的患者经常需要血液制品输注支持,而患者对红细胞和血小板输注的需求差异非常大,这主要依赖于造血干细胞移植的类型和患者本身的疾病性质。目的：评价中山大学附属中山医院接受造血干细胞移植患者移植期间输血的需求和数量。方法：收集中山大学附属中山医院2004-01/2010-06接受造血干细胞移植患者的资料,包括移植的适应证、移植的类型、CD34＋细胞的数量、红细胞和血小板的输注数量、费用、脱离输注时间以及中性粒细胞和血小板植入时间;红细胞输注的阈值是血红蛋白计数为70g/L,而血小板的输注阈值是计数为20×109L-1。研究分析了患者移植期间红细胞和血小板输注的需求、输注量、输血费用,以及患者的生存情况。结果与结论：自体造血干细胞移植组中有14例（93%）患者,而异基因造血干细胞移植组中有35例（90%）患者显示了造血细胞植入和脱离输注证据。自体造血干细胞移植组取得脱离红细胞输注天数为14.6d,明显短于异基因造血干细胞移植组。与异基因造血干细胞移植组比较,自体造血干细胞移植组红细胞输注单位明显减少;而异基因造血干细胞移植组的红细胞输注费用明显高于自体造血干细胞移植组。输血花费昂贵,但却是造血干细胞移植中必不可少的一部分,异基因造血干细胞移植组需要更多的输血支持。脱离输注时间有望成为评估造血干细胞移植成功的指标。     

Understanding the demand for phenotyped red blood cell units and requests to perform molecular red blood cell typing for Australian patients

BackgroundAustralian Red Cross Lifeblood has seen a 50 % increase in demand for phenotyped red blood cell (RBC) units between 2016–2018 and a 30 % increase in demand in 2018 to perform molecular RBC typing on patient samples. Lifeblood conducted a survey to understand transfusion laboratory practices for requesting patient phenotyping and/or molecular RBC typing and for selecting phenotyped RBC units in various patient groups.Study design and methodsAn electronic Qualtrics survey form was sent to 296 transfusion laboratories with questions designed to understand the practice of selecting phenotyped RBC units and reasons for requesting extended serology or molecular RBC typing.Results49 (16.6 %) transfusion laboratories provided data. Reasons to request extended phenotyping and/or molecular RBC typing for patients included; chronic transfusion (n = 31 laboratories), sickle cell disease (n = 25), Thalassemia (n = 23), requirement for anti-CD38 or other MAB therapy (n = 23) or Myelodysplasia (n = 22). Forty-seven transfusion laboratories provided responses with reasons for requesting molecular RBC typing which included: predicting phenotype in patients with multiple antibodies (n = 31), prior to administering anti-CD38 or other MAB therapies (n = 29), for pregnancy related transfusions (n = 28) or for confirming the phenotype of recently transfused patients (n = 18).ConclusionTransfusion laboratory practices indicated that phenotyped RBC units were selected for patients requiring chronic transfusion support and/or undergoing MAB therapy. Requests for molecular RBC typing occurred for more complex patient requirements where serological investigations were not suitable or possible due to reagent restrictions.     

A lack of serologic evidence of transmission of Chlamydia pneumoniae by transfusion of buffy coat-depleted RBCs

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that a high percentage of blood donors harbor Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA and antigens within their PBMNCs. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether recipients of RBC transfusions who were seronegative for C. pneumoniae before transfusion showed any evidence of seroconversion after transfusion. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients who were possible recipients of RBC transfusion and negative in a screen test for IgG antibodies against C. pneumoniae at the time of blood group determination were candidates to be included in the study. The patients were contacted 3.0 to 3.5 months after the blood group determination, and those who accepted to participate agreed that another venous blood sample could be taken. RESULTS: Among the patients who participated, 53 had become recipients of RBC transfusion (transfused group), and 51 later did not receive any RBC transfusion (control group). No significant change was found in IgG titer against C. pneumoniae between the first and the second sample from the same patient, in either the transfused group or the control group. CONCLUSION: In our study, which was limited to 53 seronegative recipients of RBC units from seropositive donors, we found no serologic evidence that C. pneumoniae could be transmitted by RBC transfusion.     

The effect of unmodified or prestorage white cell-reduced allogeneic red cell transfusions on the immune responsiveness in orthopedic surgery patients

BACKGROUND: The immunomodulatory effects of allogeneic blood transfusions have been attributed to the white cells (WBCs) present in the cellular blood components transfused to patients. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: The effect of the transfusion of allogeneic red cells (RBCs) or allogeneic prestorage WBC-reduced RBCs (WBC-reduced RBCs) on host immune responsiveness was evaluated by measuring the lymphocyte subsets and the in-vitro cytokine production in response to phytohemagglutinin stimulation of WBCs of orthopedic surgery patients. Forty-seven patients undergoing hip replacement surgery were randomly assigned to receive allogeneic RBCs (n = 17) or WBC-reduced RBCs (n = 14; 99.95% WBC removal). Sixteen patients were not transfused. Patient blood samples taken before surgery and on Days 1 and 4 after surgery were tested for complete blood count, lymphocyte subset analysis, and measurement of cytokine levels. RESULTS: After surgery, the lymphocyte count was significantly decreased in patients transfused with > or = 3 units of allogeneic RBCs (2.0 +/- 0.5 vs. 1.3 +/- 0.3 x 10(9)/L; p = 0.017), but not in patients transfused with > or = 3 units of WBC-reduced RBCs (2.0 +/- 0.9 vs. 1.7 +/- 0.8 x 10(9)/L). Compared with preoperative levels, on Day 4 after surgery, patients transfused with > or = 3 units of allogeneic RBCs also had a decrease in the number of natural killer cells (0.07 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.04 +/- 0.03 x 10(9)/L; p = 0.018). Postoperatively, interleukin-2 was decreased in one patient who received WBC-reduced RBCs compared with that in four patients transfused with allogeneic RBCs (p = 0.32), and eight untransfused patients (p = 0.01). On Day 4, about 70 percent of patients transfused with allogeneic RBCs showed a 20-percent decrease in the interferon gamma level. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that transfusion of > or = 3 units of allogeneic RBCs is associated with early postoperative lymphopenia in otherwise healthy individuals undergoing surgery. These findings were not observed in those individuals transfused with RBCs that had undergone prestorage WBC reduction.     

The epidemiology of blood component transfusion in Catalonia,Northeastern Spain

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic information on blood component usage can help improve the utilization of transfusion resources. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Crosssectional survey in 2007 that included every hospital in Catalonia. Clinical data of blood recipients, including the four‐digit International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes and the indication for transfusion, were prospectively collected according to an established protocol. RESULTS: In total, 19,148 red blood cell (RBC) units, 1812 platelet (PLT) doses, and 3070 plasma units, transfused into 8019 patients (median age, 71 years; 52% males), were surveyed. Half the RBC units were used by patients older than 70 years. Specific diagnosis and procedures with the highest RBC use were lower limb orthopedic surgery (10.6% of all units) and gastrointestinal hemorrhage (6%). Therapeutic plasmapheresis (8.1%) and heart valve surgery (7.2%) were the procedures with the highest plasma use. Oncohematology patients accounted for 73% of transfused PLTs, more that two‐thirds being administered for hemorrhage prophylaxis. Acute hemorrhage was the most common indication for RBC and plasma transfusion. Among all blood recipients, 80% received only RBCs and 6.9% received only plasma and/or PLTs, without concomitant RBCs. The population transfusion incidence rates were 35 RBC units, three PLT doses, and 6 plasma units per 1000 population‐year. Demographic changes anticipate a 30% increase in RBC transfusion by year 2030. CONCLUSIONS: These results allow for identification of blood uses that are susceptible to improvement, help appraise the expected yield of blood safety measures, and will assist in planning the future blood supply.     

Immunologic changes after transfusion of autologous or allogeneic buffy coat-poor versus WBC-reduced blood transfusions in patients undergoing arthroplasty. II. Activation of T cells, macrophages, and cell-mediated lympholysis

BACKGROUND: To estimate the impact of RBC preparations on the status of postoperative immune activation, the soluble cytokine receptors of TNFalpha (sTNF-R) and IL-2 (sIL-2R), as well as neopterin and cell-mediated lympholysis (CML), were measured. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients undergoing strictly standardized anesthesiologic management for elective orthopedic surgery were enrolled in a prospective study. The perioperative course (Days 0, 3, 7, and 10) of sTNF-R, sIL-2R, neopterin, and CML was compared after random assignment to allogeneic buffy coat-reduced (Group 2, n = 8) or WBC-reduced (Group 3, n = 11) RBC transfusion regimen. Recipients of autologous buffy coat-reduced RBC transfusions (Group 1, n = 15) served as controls. Patients receiving intraoperatively and postoperatively salvaged blood only (n = 10) were separately analyzed as Group 4. RESULTS: In Group 1, a short-lasting increase in soluble cytokine receptors, a diminished cytolytic response (Day 0 vs. Day 7: sTNF-R, p = 0.0001; sIL-2R, p = 0.0004; CML, p = 0. 0238), and an elevation of neopterin (Day 0 vs. Day 3: p = 0.0064) were observed. In contrast, in allogeneically transfused patients, sTNF-R (Group 2, p = 0.0469: Group 3, p = 0.0039), sIL-2R (Group 3, p = 0.002) and neopterin (Group 3, p = 0.0164) increased further from baseline to Day 10 (Day 0 vs. Day 10), and this increase was accompanied by a diminished cytolytic response (Day 0 vs. Day 10: Group 2, p = 0.05; Group 3, p = 0.0076). Patients in Group 4 showed a short-lasting increase in sIL-2R (Day 0 vs. Day 3: p = 0.0078), neopterin (Day 0 vs. Day 3: p = 0.0156) and sTNF-R (Day 0 vs. Day 7: p = 0.0781). CONCLUSION: Allogeneic transfusions seem to prolong the postoperative status of immune activation, even when WBC-filtered RBCs are used for the transfusion regimen.     

Insufficient nitric oxide bioavailability: a hypothesis to explain adverse effects of red blood cell transfusion

While transfusion of red blood cells (RBCs) is effective at preventing morbidity and mortality in anemic patients, studies have indicated that some RBC components have functional defects ("RBC storage lesions") that may actually cause adverse events when transfused. For example, in some studies patients transfused with RBCs stored more than 14 days have had statistically worse outcomes than those receiving "fresher" RBC units. Recipient-specific factors may also contribute to the occurrence of these adverse events. Unfortunately, these events have been difficult to investigate because up to now they have existed primarily as "statistical occurrences" of increased morbidity and mortality in large data sets. There are currently no clinical or laboratory methods to detect or study them in individual transfusion recipients. We propose a unifying hypothesis, centered on insufficient nitric oxide bioavailability (INOBA), to explain the increased morbidity and mortality observed in some patients after RBC transfusion. In this model, variables associated with RBC units (storage time; 2,3-diphosphoglycerate acid concentration) and transfusion recipients (endothelial dysfunction) collectively lead to changes in nitric oxide (NO) levels in vascular beds. Under certain circumstances, these variables are "aligned" such that NO concentrations are markedly reduced, leading to vasoconstriction, decreased local blood flow, and insufficient O(2) delivery to end organs. Under these circumstances, the likelihood of morbidity and mortality escalates. If the key tenets of the INOBA hypothesis are confirmed, it may lead to improved transfusion methods including altered RBC storage and/or processing conditions, novel transfusion recipient screening methods, and improved RBC-recipient matching.     

Immunologic changes after transfusion of autologous or allogeneic buffy coat-poor versus white cell-reduced blood to patients undergoing arthroplasty. I. Proliferative T-cell responses and the balance of helper and suppressor T cells

BACKGROUND: Donor white cells (WBCs) contained in red cell (RBC) transfusions are thought to provoke down-regulation of T-cell-mediated immunity. This study investigated this topic in otherwise healthy patients receiving buffy coat-depleted or WBC-filtered RBCs and undergoing standardized perioperative management. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery (primary hip and knee replacement surgery) were enrolled in a prospective study. Perioperative changes in T-cell proliferation (stimulation with phytohemagglutinin and mixed lymphocyte culture) and T-cell balance (T-lymphocytes, helper T cells, and suppressor T cells) were compared after random assignment to allogeneic buffy coat-depleted (Group 2, n = 8) or WBC-reduced RBC (Group 3, n = 11) transfusion regimens. Recipients of autologous buffy coat-depleted RBC transfusions (n = 15) served as controls (Group 1). RESULTS: Compared to that in autologous transfusion recipients, alloantigen-induced T-cell proliferation was significantly reduced in recipients of allogeneic WBC-reduced RBCs (Day 3, p = 0.0274). After the transfusion of allogeneic buffy coat-depleted RBCs, a weak trend toward decreased T-cell proliferation was observed (p = 0.0933) and the numbers of CD4+ T cells were also significantly lower (Day 7, p = 0.0389). On Day 10, alloantigen-induced T-cell proliferation remained significantly below baseline after transfusion of WBC-reduced RBCs (p = 0.05), the numbers of CD3+ cells decreased in allogeneic RBC recipients (Group 2, p = 0.078; Group 3, p = 0.05), and those of CD8+ cells decreased significantly after the transfusion of allogeneic buffy coat-depleted RBCs (p = 0.0234) concomitant with an increased CD4:CD8 ratio (p = 0.0391). CONCLUSION: Results of the present study confirm the hypothesis of impaired T-cell-mediated immunity after allogeneic transfusion.