Affiliated Hospital & Clinical Medical College of Chengdu University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America. Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, New York, New York, United States of America.
Very low birth weight infants (6 studies, n= 3,483).
Intervention
Restrictive red blood cell transfusion threshold.
Comparison
Liberal red blood cell transfusion threshold.
Outcome
Restrictive transfusion did not increase the risk of all-cause mortality (RR, 0.99; I2 = 0%; high-quality evidence), and did not increase the composite outcome of death or neurodevelopmental impairment (RR, 1.01; I2 = 7%; high-quality evidence) or other serious adverse events. Results were similar in subgroup analyses of all-cause mortality by weight of infants, gestational age, male infants, and transfusion volume.
Abstract
BACKGROUND To assess the efficacy and safety of restrictive versus liberal red blood cell transfusion thresholds in very low birth weight infants. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane database without any language restrictions. The last search was conducted in August 15, 2020. All randomized controlled trials comparing the use of restrictive versus liberal red blood cell transfusion thresholds in
very low birth weight (VLBW) infants were selected. Pooled risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous variable with 95% confidence intervals were assessed by a random-effects model. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. RESULTS Overall, this meta-analysis included 6 randomized controlled trials comprising 3,483 participants. Restrictive transfusion does not increase the risk of all-cause mortality (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.17; I2 = 0%; high-quality evidence), and does not increase the composite outcome of death or neurodevelopmental impairment (RR, 1.01, 95% CI, 0.93-1.09; I2 = 7%; high-quality evidence) or other serious adverse events. Results were similar in subgroup analyses of all-cause mortality by weight of infants, gestational age, male infants, and transfusion volume. CONCLUSIONS In very low birth weight infants, a restrictive threshold for red blood cell transfusion was not associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, in either short term or long term.
