Monitoring compliance with transfusion guidelines in hospital departments by electronic data capture

Background

The practice of transfusing red blood cells is still liberal in some centres suggesting a lack of compliance with guidelines recommending transfusion of red blood cells at haemoglobin levels of 6–8 g/dL in the non-bleeding patient. Few databases provide ongoing feedback of data on pre-transfusion haemoglobin levels at the departmental level. In a tertiary care hospital, no such data were produced before this study. Our aim was to establish a Patient Blood Management database based on electronic data capture in order to monitor compliance with transfusion guidelines at departmental and hospital levels.

Materials and methods

Hospital data on admissions, diagnoses and surgical procedures were used to define the populations of patients. Data on haemoglobin measurements and red blood cell transfusions were used to calculate pre-transfusion haemoglobin, percentage of transfused patients and transfusion volumes.

Results

The model dataset include 33,587 admissions, of which 10% had received at least one unit of red blood cells. Haemoglobin measurements preceded 96.7% of the units transfused. The median pre-transfusion haemoglobin was 8.9 g/dL (interquartile range 8.2–9.7) at the hospital level. In only 6.5% of the cases, transfusion was initiated at 7.3 g/dL or lower as recommended by the Danish national transfusion guideline. In 27% of the cases, transfusion was initiated when the haemoglobin level was 9.3 g/dL or higher, which is not recommended. A median of two units was transfused per transfusion episode and per hospital admission. Transfusion practice was more liberal in surgical and intensive care units than in medical departments.

Discussion

We described pre-transfusion haemoglobin levels, transfusion rates and volumes at hospital and departmental levels, and in surgical subpopulations. Initial data revealed an extensive liberal practice and low compliance with national transfusion guidelines, and identified wards in need of intervention.     

Use of antidepressants in the treatment of depression in Asia: Guidelines,clinical evidence,and experience revisited

Major depressive disorder is prevalent worldwide, and only about half of those affected will experience no further episodes or symptoms. Additionally, depressive symptoms can be challenging to identify, with many patients going undiagnosed despite a wide variety of available treatment options. Antidepressants are the cornerstone of depression treatment; however, a large number of factors must be considered in selecting the treatment best suited to the individual. To help support physicians in this process, international and national treatment guidelines have been developed. This review evaluates the current use of antidepressant treatment for major depressive disorder in six Asian countries (China, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand). No remarkable differences were noted between Asian and international treatment guidelines or among those from within Asia as these are adapted from western guidelines, although there were some local variations. Importantly, a shortage of evidence‐based information at a country level is the primary problem in developing guidelines appropriate for Asia, so most of the guidelines are consensus opinions derived from western research data utilized in western guidelines. Treatment guidelines need to evolve from being consensus based to evidence based when evidence is available, taking into consideration cost/effectiveness or cost/benefit with an evidence‐based approach that more accurately reflects clinical experience as well as the attributes of each antidepressant. In everyday practice, physicians must tailor their treatment to the patient's clinical needs while considering associated external factors; better tools are needed to help them reach the best possible prescribing decisions which are of maximum benefit to patients.     

Stroke management: updated recommendations for treatment along the care continuum

The Australian Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management 2010 represents an update of the Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery (2005) and the Clinical Guidelines for Acute Stroke Management (2007). For the first time, they cover the whole spectrum of stroke, from public awareness and prehospital response to stroke unit and stroke management strategies, acute treatment, secondary prevention, rehabilitation and community care. The guidelines also include recommendations on transient ischaemic attack. The most significant changes to previous guideline recommendations include the extension of the stroke thrombolysis window from 3 to 4.5 h and the change from positive to negative recommendations for the use of thigh-length antithrombotic stockings for deep venous thrombosis prevention and the routine use of prolonged positioning for contracture management.     

中国低视力康复临床指南（2021）

视觉是人类感觉信息来源的主体（>82%）,视觉损伤不仅影响视觉功能,更降低患者的独立生存能力,增加家庭以及社会经济负担[1-3]。2010年世界卫生组织（WHO）报告指出我国的视觉损伤人群约 7 550万[4],2019年发布的《世界视觉报告2019》指 出目前全球中重度视觉损伤人群约有2.16亿,盲人 3 600万[5]。低视力属于视觉损伤范畴中的中重度视觉损伤,严重损害患者视觉功能以及生存质量,系统性、规范化地对低视力患者进行视觉康复非常重要[6]。然而我国对于低视力康复尚缺乏统一的临床诊疗规范,各视觉康复机构的低视力康复水平参差不齐,低视力康复临床指南的制定尤为必要和紧迫。     

PICC置管前评估的临床实践指南构建及AGREE评价

目的构建以证据为基础的经外周穿刺中心静脉导管(PICC)置管前评估的临床实践指南并进行AGREE评价。方法通过现况调查,制作PICC置管前评估的系统评价,对PICC置管前评估相关临床实践指南进行文献内容分析,构建指南草案并通过德尔菲法对指南相关附件进行修订,使用AGREE评估系统进行评价。结果指南形成包含置管护士、环境与设备、患者评估、导管选择、穿刺技术与穿刺部位、知情同意6个方面共31项推荐意见。AGREE评价的标准化总分分别为98%、93%、95%、92%、89%、100%,6名PICC护理专家均给予"强烈推荐"评价。结论该指南是基于我国临床现状、循证证据、患者意愿和偏好、专业人员判断的循证性临床实践指南,可作为PICC置管前评估的依据。