1.
Preterm neonates benefit from low prophylactic platelet transfusion threshold despite varying risk of bleeding or death
Fustolo-Gunnink SF, Fijnvandraat K, van Klaveren D, Stanworth S, Curley AE, Onland W, Steyerberg EW, de Kort E, d'Haens E, Hulzebos C, et al
Blood. 2019
Abstract
The Platelets for Neonatal Thrombocytopenia (PlaNeT-2) trial reported an unexpected overall benefit of a prophylactic platelet transfusion threshold of 25x109/L compared to 50x109/L for major bleeding and/or mortality in preterm neonates (7% absolute risk reduction). However, some neonates in the trial may have experienced little benefit or even harm from the 25x109/L threshold. We aimed to assess this heterogeneity of treatment effect in the PlaNet-2 trial, in order to investigate whether all preterm neonates benefit from the low threshold. We developed a multivariable logistic regression model in the PlaNet-2 data to predict baseline risk of major bleeding and/or mortality for all 653 neonates. We then ranked the neonates based on their predicted baseline risk and categorized them into four risk quartiles. Within these quartiles we assessed absolute risk difference between the 50x109/L and 25x109/L threshold group. A total of 146 neonates died or developed major bleeding. The internally validated C-statistic of the model was 0.63 (95% confidence interval 0.58 - 0.68). The 25x109/L threshold was associated with absolute risk reduction in all risk groups, varying from 4.9% in the lowest to 12.3% in the highest risk group. These results suggest that a 25x109/L prophylactic platelet count threshold can be adopted in all preterm neonates, irrespective of predicted baseline outcome risk. Future studies are needed to improve the predictive accuracy of the baseline risk model. Current Controlled Trials number ISRCTN87736839.
2.
Early identification of patients requiring massive transfusion, embolization or hemostatic surgery for traumatic hemorrhage: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Tran A, Matar M, Lampron J, Steyerberg EW, Taljaard M, Vaillancourt C
The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. 2017;84((3):):505-516
Abstract
BACKGROUND Delays in appropriate triage of bleeding trauma patients result in poor outcomes. Clinical gestalt is fallible and objective measures of risk stratification are needed. The objective of this review is to identify and assess prediction models and predictors for the early identification of traumatic hemorrhage patients requiring massive transfusion, surgery or embolization. METHODS We searched electronic databases through to September 31st, 2016 for studies describing clinical, laboratory and imaging predictors available within the first hour of resuscitation for identifying patients requiring major intervention for hemorrhage within the first 24 hours. RESULTS We included 84 studies describing any predictor-outcome association, including 47 multivariable models; of these, 26 (55%) were specifically designed for prediction. We identified 35 distinct predictors of which systolic blood pressure, age, heart rate and mechanism of injury were most frequently studied. Quality of multivariable models was generally poor with only 21 (45%) meeting a commonly recommended sample size threshold of 10 events per predictor. From 21 models meeting this threshold, we identified 7 predictors that were examined in at least two models: mechanism of injury, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, hemoglobin, lactate and FAST. Pooled odds ratios were obtained from random-effects meta-analyses. CONCLUSION The majority of traumatic hemorrhagic prediction studies are of poor quality, as assessed by the PROGRESS recommendations and CHARMS checklist. There exists a need for a well-designed clinical prediction model for early identification of patients requiring intervention. The variables of clinical importance identified in this review are consistent with recent expert guideline recommendations and may serve as candidates for future derivation studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Systematic review, Level III.