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Health Care–Associated Infection After Red Blood Cell Transfusion

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Submitted by

Mark Ferguson

Source

Source Name: JAMA

Source URL: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1853162

Author(s)

JM Rohde, DE Dimcheff, N Blumberg, S Saint, KM Langa, L Kuhn, A Hickner, MAM Rogers.

This meta-analysis of 18 randomized trials investigated the risk of infection related to blood transfusions given according to liberal or restrictive criteria. The restrictive strategy (Hgb <7) was associated with an 18% reduction in the risk of serious infection (11.8% vs 16.9%). The effects were most pronounced in patients with sepsis and in those undergoing orthopedic surgery. No difference was evident among patients with heart disease, critical illness, or GI bleeding.