Mortality and morbidity of low-grade red blood cell transfusions in septic patients: a propensity score-matched observational study of a liberal transfusion strategy.

Blood transfusion Circulatory failure Critical care Red blood cell transfusion Renal failure Respiratory failure Septic shock Severe sepsis

Journal

Annals of intensive care
ISSN: 2110-5820
Titre abrégé: Ann Intensive Care
Pays: Germany
ID NLM: 101562873

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
08 Aug 2020
Historique:
received: 29 05 2020
accepted: 30 07 2020
entrez: 10 8 2020
pubmed: 10 8 2020
medline: 10 8 2020
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are associated with risks including immunological reactions and volume overload. Current guidelines suggest a restrictive transfusion strategy in most patients with sepsis but based on previous randomized controlled trials and observational studies, there are still uncertainties about the safety in giving low-grade RBC transfusions to patients with sepsis. Critically ill patients with severe sepsis or septic shock admitted to a university hospital intensive care unit between 2007 and 2018 that received less or equal to 2 units of RBCs during the first 5 days of admission were propensity score matched to controls. Outcomes were 90- and 180-day mortality, highest acute kidney injury network (AKIN) score the first 10 days, days alive and free of organ support the first 28 days after admission to the intensive care unit and highest sequential organ failure assessment score (SOFA-max). Of 9490 admissions, 1347 were diagnosed with severe sepsis or septic shock. Propensity-score matching resulted in two well-matched groups with 237 patients in each. The annual inclusion rate in both groups was similar. The median hemoglobin level before RBC transfusion was 95 g/L (interquartile range 88-104) and the majority of the patients were transfused in first 2 days of admission. Low-grade RBC transfusion was associated with increased 90- and 180-day mortality with an absolute risk increase for death 9.3% (95% confidence interval: 0.6-18%, P = 0.032) and 11% (95% confidence interval: 1.7-19%, P = 0.018), respectively. Low-grade RBC transfusion also correlated with increased kidney, circulatory and respiratory failure and higher SOFA-max score. Low-grade RBC transfusion during the first 5 days of admission was associated with increased mortality and morbidity in a liberal transfusion setting. The results support the current practice of a restrictive transfusion strategy in septic critically ill patients.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are associated with risks including immunological reactions and volume overload. Current guidelines suggest a restrictive transfusion strategy in most patients with sepsis but based on previous randomized controlled trials and observational studies, there are still uncertainties about the safety in giving low-grade RBC transfusions to patients with sepsis.
METHODS METHODS
Critically ill patients with severe sepsis or septic shock admitted to a university hospital intensive care unit between 2007 and 2018 that received less or equal to 2 units of RBCs during the first 5 days of admission were propensity score matched to controls. Outcomes were 90- and 180-day mortality, highest acute kidney injury network (AKIN) score the first 10 days, days alive and free of organ support the first 28 days after admission to the intensive care unit and highest sequential organ failure assessment score (SOFA-max).
RESULTS RESULTS
Of 9490 admissions, 1347 were diagnosed with severe sepsis or septic shock. Propensity-score matching resulted in two well-matched groups with 237 patients in each. The annual inclusion rate in both groups was similar. The median hemoglobin level before RBC transfusion was 95 g/L (interquartile range 88-104) and the majority of the patients were transfused in first 2 days of admission. Low-grade RBC transfusion was associated with increased 90- and 180-day mortality with an absolute risk increase for death 9.3% (95% confidence interval: 0.6-18%, P = 0.032) and 11% (95% confidence interval: 1.7-19%, P = 0.018), respectively. Low-grade RBC transfusion also correlated with increased kidney, circulatory and respiratory failure and higher SOFA-max score.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
Low-grade RBC transfusion during the first 5 days of admission was associated with increased mortality and morbidity in a liberal transfusion setting. The results support the current practice of a restrictive transfusion strategy in septic critically ill patients.

Identifiants

pubmed: 32770427
doi: 10.1186/s13613-020-00727-y
pii: 10.1186/s13613-020-00727-y
pmc: PMC7415067
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

111

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Auteurs

Caroline Ulfsdotter Nilsson (CU)

Department of Intensive and Perioperative Care, Skåne University Hospital Lund, 221 85, Lund, Sweden.
Department of Clinical Sciences, Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Lund University, 221 85, Lund, Sweden.

Peter Bentzer (P)

Department of Clinical Sciences, Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Lund University, 221 85, Lund, Sweden.
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Helsingborg Hospital, 252 23, Helsingborg, Sweden.

Linnéa E Andersson (LE)

Department of Clinical Sciences, Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Lund University, 221 85, Lund, Sweden.

Sofia A Björkman (SA)

Department of Clinical Sciences, Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Lund University, 221 85, Lund, Sweden.

Fredrik P Hanssson (FP)

Clinical Trial Consultants, Dag Hammarskjöldsväg 10b, 752 37, Uppsala, Sweden.

Thomas Kander (T)

Department of Intensive and Perioperative Care, Skåne University Hospital Lund, 221 85, Lund, Sweden. thomas.kander@med.lu.se.
Department of Clinical Sciences, Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Lund University, 221 85, Lund, Sweden. thomas.kander@med.lu.se.

Classifications MeSH