1.
Effect of Fresh vs Standard-issue Red Blood Cell Transfusions on Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Spinella PC, Tucci M, Fergusson DA, Lacroix J, Hebert PC, Leteurtre S, Schechtman KB, Doctor A, Berg RA, Bockelmann T, et al
Jama. 2019;322(22):2179-2190
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Abstract
Importance: The clinical consequences of red blood cell storage age for critically ill pediatric patients have not been examined in a large, randomized clinical trial. Objective: To determine if the transfusion of fresh red blood cells (stored ≤7 days) reduced new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome compared with the use of standard-issue red blood cells in critically ill children. Design, Setting, and Participants: The Age of Transfused Blood in Critically-Ill Children trial was an international, multicenter, blinded, randomized clinical trial, performed between February 2014 and November 2018 in 50 tertiary care centers. Pediatric patients between the ages of 3 days and 16 years were eligible if the first red blood cell transfusion was administered within 7 days of intensive care unit admission. A total of 15568 patients were screened, and 13308 were excluded. Interventions: Patients were randomized to receive either fresh or standard-issue red blood cells. A total of 1538 patients were randomized with 768 patients in the fresh red blood cell group and 770 in the standard-issue group. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome measure was new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, measured for 28 days or to discharge or death. Results: Among 1538 patients who were randomized, 1461 patients (95%) were included in the primary analysis (median age, 1.8 years; 47.3% girls), in which there were 728 patients randomized to the fresh red blood cell group and 733 to the standard-issue group. The median storage duration was 5 days (interquartile range [IQR], 4-6 days) in the fresh group vs 18 days (IQR, 12-25 days) in the standard-issue group (P < .001). There were no significant differences in new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome between fresh (147 of 728 [20.2%]) and standard-issue red blood cell groups (133 of 732 [18.2%]), with an unadjusted absolute risk difference of 2.0% (95% CI, -2.0% to 6.1%; P = .33). The prevalence of sepsis was 25.8% (160 of 619) in the fresh group and 25.3% (154 of 608) in the standard-issue group. The prevalence of acute respiratory distress syndrome was 6.6% (41 of 619) in the fresh group and 4.8% (29 of 608) in the standard-issue group. Intensive care unit mortality was 4.5% (33 of 728) in the fresh group vs 3.5 % (26 of 732) in the standard-issue group (P = .34). Conclusions and Relevance: Among critically ill pediatric patients, the use of fresh red blood cells did not reduce the incidence of new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (including mortality) compared with standard-issue red blood cells. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01977547.
PICO Summary
Population
Critically ill paediatric patients between the ages of 3 days and 16 years, (n=1461).
Intervention
Red blood cells stored </=y days (Fresh red blood cell group, (n=728).
Comparison
Delivery of oldest compatible red cell units available (Standard-issue red blood cells, (n=733).
Outcome
There were no significant differences in new or progressive multiple organ dysfunction syndrome between fresh (147 of 728 [20.2%]) and standard-issue red blood cell groups (133 of 732 [18.2%]), with an unadjusted absolute risk difference of 2.0%; P = .33). The prevalence of sepsis was 25.8% (160 of 619) in the fresh group and 25.3% (154 of 608) in the standard-issue group. The prevalence of acute respiratory distress syndrome was 6.6% (41 of 619) in the fresh group and 4.8% (29 of 608) in the standard-issue group. Intensive care unit mortality was 4.5% (33 of 728) in the fresh group vs 3.5 % (26 of 732) in the standard-issue group.
2.
Age of transfused blood in critically ill adults
Lacroix J, Hebert PC, Fergusson DA, Tinmouth A, Cook DJ, Marshall JC, Clayton L, McIntyre L, Callum J, Turgeon AF, et al
New England Journal of Medicine. 2015;372((15):):1410-8.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fresh red cells may improve outcomes in critically ill patients by enhancing oxygen delivery while minimizing the risks of toxic effects from cellular changes and the accumulation of bioactive materials in blood components during prolonged storage. METHODS In this multicenter, randomized, blinded trial, we assigned critically ill adults to receive either red cells that had been stored for less than 8 days or standard-issue red cells (the oldest compatible units available in the blood bank). The primary outcome measure was 90-day mortality. RESULTS Between March 2009 and May 2014, at 64 centers in Canada and Europe, 1211 patients were assigned to receive fresh red cells (fresh-blood group) and 1219 patients were assigned to receive standard-issue red cells (standard-blood group). Red cells were stored a mean (+/-SD) of 6.1+/-4.9 days in the fresh-blood group as compared with 22.0+/-8.4 days in the standard-blood group (P<0.001). At 90 days, 448 patients (37.0%) in the fresh-blood group and 430 patients (35.3%) in the standard-blood group had died (absolute risk difference, 1.7 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.1 to 5.5). In the survival analysis, the hazard ratio for death in the fresh-blood group, as compared with the standard-blood group, was 1.1 (95% CI, 0.9 to 1.2; P=0.38). There were no significant between-group differences in any of the secondary outcomes (major illnesses; duration of respiratory, hemodynamic, or renal support; length of stay in the hospital; and transfusion reactions) or in the subgroup analyses. CONCLUSIONS Transfusion of fresh red cells, as compared with standard-issue red cells, did not decrease the 90-day mortality among critically ill adults. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN44878718.).
3.
Excess of veno-occlusive disease in a randomized clinical trial on a higher trigger for red blood cell transfusion after bone marrow transplantation: a Canadian Blood and Marrow Transplant Group trial
Robitaille N, Lacroix J, Alexandrov L, Clayton L, Cortier M, Schultz KR, Bittencourt H, Duval M
Biology of Blood & Marrow Transplantation. 2013;19((3):):468-73.
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that maintaining high hemoglobin levels in patients after chemotherapy reduced the length of neutropenia. Thus, we undertook a randomized, controlled, clinical trial in children undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation after receiving a myeloablative conditioning regimen to compare 2 hemoglobin thresholds as triggers for red blood cell transfusion: 120 g/L in the experimental arm and 70 g/L in the control arm. The Data and Safety Monitoring Board closed the study after enrollment of the sixth patient because 3 patients in the experimental arm contracted veno-occlusive disease, but none in the control arm did (P=.05). Ascites was present in all 3 patients, pleura effusion in 2, and portal vein thrombosis in 2. One patient experienced hepatic failure and required treatment with the molecular adsorbent recycling system. Another patient required hemodialysis for renal failure. No major imbalance between groups was seen with regard to risk factors for veno-occlusive disease. Therefore, maintaining the hemoglobin at higher levels should be avoided after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Copyright 2013 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.