Population
Patients with septic shock and anaemia, (n=998) who had not previously been transfused in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Intervention
Lower threshold group: RBC transfusion at a lower Hb-threshold of 7 g/dl [4.3 mmol/l], (n=502).
Comparison
Higher threshold group: RBC transfusion at a higher Hb-threshold of 9 g/dl [5.6 mmol/l], (n=496).
Outcome
No heterogeneity between patient age and the allocated Hb-thresholds for RBC transfusion for 1-year mortality or 90-day mortality in the primary analyses. The sensitivity analyses suggested heterogeneity between age groups regarding 90-day mortality, however, this was not consistent for 1-year mortality or when assessing age on the continuous scale.