Acetaminophen and diphenhydramine as premedication for platelet transfusions: a prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. A prospective, randomized, double-blind controlled trial of acetaminophen and diphenhydramine pretransfusion medication versus placebo for the prevention of transfusion reactions. A controlled trial of educational outreach to improve blood transfusion practice. Effect of blood transfusions on the outcome of very low body weight preterm infants under two different transfusion criteria. Liberal or restrictive transfusion in high-risk patients after hip surgery. Autologous platelet-rich plasma does not reduce transfusion of homologous blood products in patients undergoing repeat valvular surgery. Randomized trial of liberal versus restrictive guidelines for red blood cell transfusion in preterm infants. Recombinant erythropoietin and blood transfusion in selected preterm infants. Thromboelastography-based transfusion algorithm reduces blood product use after elective CABG: a prospective randomized study. [Randomized clinical controlled cross-over trial (RCT) in the prevention of blood transfusion febrile reactions with small dose hydrocortisone versus anti-histamines]. Comparison of blood reinfusion techniques used during coronary artery bypass grafting.
Non-hemolytic transfusion reactions (NHTR) occur in up to 30% of patients receiving platelet transfusions. Premedication with acetaminophen and diphenhydramine is a common strategy to prevent NHTR, but its efficacy has not been studied. In this prospective trial, transfusions in patients receiving pre-storage leukocyte-reduced single-donor apheresis platelets (SDP) were randomized to premedication with either acetaminophen 650 mg PO and diphenhydramine 25 mg IV, or placebo. Fifty-one patients received 98 transfusions. Thirteen patients had 15 NHTR: 15.4% (8/52) in the treatment arm and 15.2% (7/46) in the placebo arm. Premedication prior to transfusion of pre-storage leukocyte reduced SDP does not significantly lower the incidence of NHTR as compared to placebo.
                Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Acetaminophen and diphenhydramine are commonly used as pretransfusion medications to prevent transfusion reactions. The purpose of this study was to prospectively compare the risk of transfusion reactions in hematology/oncology patients who receive acetaminophen with diphenhydramine or placebo before transfusion.
                A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled transfusion reaction study of 315 eligible patients was performed. Inclusion criteria were patients aged 18 to 65 years admitted to the leukemia or bone marrow transplant (BMT) services. Patients were excluded if they had a known allergy to either acetaminophen or diphenhydramine or had a documented history of a febrile or allergic transfusion reaction. All blood products were administered using a leukofilter. Study medications were given 30 minutes before transfusions and no other acetaminophen or diphenhydramine was given within 4 hours of administration of the study medications. Patients were monitored for the development of reaction symptoms within 4 hours after the transfusion.
                A total of 154 active drug patients were compared to 161 placebo patients. There was no significant difference in the overall risk of transfusion reactions between the two groups. However, analysis of specific reaction types revealed a significant decrease in the risk of febrile reactions when pretransfusion medication is used in addition to bedside leukoreduction.
                Pretransfusion medication of leukemia or BMT patients without a history of transfusion reaction does not decrease the overall risk of transfusion reactions. However, pretransfusion medication may decrease the risk of febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions to leukoreduced blood products. To determine whether brief, face-to-face educational outreach visits can improve the appropriateness of blood product utilization.
                Randomized, controlled multicenter trial with 6-month follow-up.
                Surgical and medical services of two pairs of matched community and teaching hospitals in Massachusetts.
                One hundred one transfusing staff surgeons and attending medical physicians.
                A professionally based transfusion specialist presented one surgical- or medical-service-wide lecture emphasizing appropriate indications, risks, and benefits of red blood cell transfusions; brief, graphic, printed educational guidelines; and one 30-minute visit with each transfusing physician. No data feedback was provided. Educational messages emphasized the lack of utility of the traditional threshold for red blood cell transfusions (hematocrit, 30%) and transfusion risks (eg, viral hepatitis).
                Proportion of red blood cell transfusions classified as compliant or noncompliant with blood transfusion guidelines, or indeterminate 6 months before and 6 months after an experimental educational intervention.
                Based on analyses of 1449 medical record audits of red blood cell transfusions that occurred 6 months before and 6 months after the educational intervention, the average proportion of transfusions not in compliance with criteria declined from 0.40 to 0.24 among study surgeons (-40%) compared with an increase from 0.40 to 0.44 (+9%) among control surgeons (P = .006). These effects were consistent across procedure type and specialty. On average, study surgeons in the postintervention period performed transfusions when hematocrits were 2.0 percentage points lower than before the intervention (28.3% preintervention vs 26.3% postintervention), and lower than in the control group (28.3% preintervention and postintervention; P = .04). Likely savings in blood use for surgical services probably exceeded program costs, even without considering reduced risks of infection. No effects were observed among transfusions occurring in medical services, possibly because of substantially lower transfusion rates and lower pretransfusion hematocrits.
                Brief, focused educational outreach visits by transfusion specialists can substantially improve the appropriateness and cost-effectiveness of blood product use in surgery. More data are needed regarding the durability of changes in practice patterns and the health and economic benefits of such interventions. Multiple packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions in very low birth weight (VLBW) prematurity have been suggested to be a risk factor for the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) or for chronic lung disease (CLD). The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of PRBC transfusions on the outcome of VLBW prematurity.
                In total, between July 2005 and June 2006, 36 VLBW preterm babies were admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit and were randomly allocated to the "restrictive" (n= 19) or "liberal" (n= 17) criteria for PRBC transfusion. Complete blood count (CBC) was examined at admission and 30 days later. Reticulocyte counts, serum iron and ferritin were examined and compared with the clinical outcomes.
                Infants in the liberal group received a larger PRBC transfusion volume compared with the restrictive group over 30 days (41.7+/-20.1 vs. 27.2+/-15.9mL, p=0.029). There were no significant differences in the proportion of patients with respiratory distress syndrome, patent ductus arteriosus, severe intraventricular hemorrhage, ROP or CLD between the two groups. The laboratory data, except reticulocyte count, showed no significant difference on day 30. Further analysis of premature babies with and without CLD showed that total transfused blood volume greater than 30mL over 30 days was a risk factor for developing CLD in VLBW infants.
                Both criteria of PRBC transfusion had similar clinical outcomes, although liberal transfusion resulted in a greater amount of blood transfused and a low reticulocyte count at 30 days of age. We suggest restrictive criteria for minimizing the overall amount of transfusion to less than 30 mL may be a better way of preventing CLD in VLBW infants. The hemoglobin threshold at which postoperative red-cell transfusion is warranted is controversial. We conducted a randomized trial to determine whether a higher threshold for blood transfusion would improve recovery in patients who had undergone surgery for hip fracture.
                We enrolled 2016 patients who were 50 years of age or older, who had either a history of or risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and whose hemoglobin level was below 10 g per deciliter after hip-fracture surgery. We randomly assigned patients to a liberal transfusion strategy (a hemoglobin threshold of 10 g per deciliter) or a restrictive transfusion strategy (symptoms of anemia or at physician discretion for a hemoglobin level of <8 g per deciliter). The primary outcome was death or an inability to walk across a room without human assistance on 60-day follow-up.
                A median of 2 units of red cells were transfused in the liberal-strategy group and none in the restrictive-strategy group. The rates of the primary outcome were 35.2% in the liberal-strategy group and 34.7% in the restrictive-strategy group (odds ratio in the liberal-strategy group, 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84 to 1.22), for an absolute risk difference of 0.5 percentage points (95% CI, -3.7 to 4.7). The rates of in-hospital acute coronary syndrome or death were 4.3% and 5.2%, respectively (absolute risk difference, -0.9%; 99% CI, -3.3 to 1.6), and rates of death on 60-day follow-up were 7.6% and 6.6%, respectively (absolute risk difference, 1.0%; 99% CI, -1.9 to 4.0). The rates of other complications were similar in the two groups.
                A liberal transfusion strategy, as compared with a restrictive strategy, did not reduce rates of death or inability to walk independently on 60-day follow-up or reduce in-hospital morbidity in elderly patients at high cardiovascular risk. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; FOCUS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00071032.). Patients undergoing cardiac surgery employing cardiopulmonary bypass frequently require transfusion of homologous blood products and, therefore, are exposed to the risk of transfusions. Autologous platelet-rich plasma administration may reduce homologous transfusion and attendant risks.
                In a blinded, randomized fashion, patients undergoing repeat sternotomy and valvular surgery received either a sham product (n = 28) or autologous platelet-rich plasma (n = 28) at the conclusion of cardiopulmonary bypass. Perioperative blood loss, coagulation profiles, and transfusion requirements were compared between the two groups.
                In the first 24 h postoperatively, both the platelet-rich plasma and sham groups received a median of 10.5 units of homologous blood products. Total median perioperative homologous transfusion requirements were 13 and 11.5 units for the platelet-rich plasma and sham groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in intraoperative or postoperative bleeding between the groups.
                Autologous platelet-rich plasma did not reduce perioperative bleeding or transfusion requirements in repeat valvular surgery. Although many centers have introduced more restrictive transfusion policies for preterm infants in recent years, the benefits and adverse consequences of allowing lower hematocrit levels have not been systematically evaluated. The objective of this study was to determine if restrictive guidelines for red blood cell (RBC) transfusions for preterm infants can reduce the number of transfusions without adverse consequences.
                We enrolled 100 hospitalized preterm infants with birth weights of 500 to 1300 g into a randomized clinical trial comparing 2 levels of hematocrit threshold for RBC transfusion.
                The infants were assigned randomly to either the liberal- or the restrictive-transfusion group. For each group, transfusions were given only when the hematocrit level fell below the assigned value. In each group, the transfusion threshold levels decreased with improving clinical status.
                We recorded the number of transfusions, the number of donor exposures, and various clinical and physiologic outcomes.
                Infants in the liberal-transfusion group received more RBC transfusions (5.2 +/- 4.5 [mean +/- SD] vs 3.3 +/- 2.9 in the restrictive-transfusion group). However, the number of donors to whom the infants were exposed was not significantly different (2.8 +/- 2.5 vs 2.2 +/- 2.0). There was no difference between the groups in the percentage of infants who avoided transfusions altogether (12% in the liberal-transfusion group versus 10% in the restrictive-transfusion group). Infants in the restrictive-transfusion group were more likely to have intraparenchymal brain hemorrhage or periventricular leukomalacia, and they had more frequent episodes of apnea, including both mild and severe episodes.
                Although both transfusion programs were well tolerated, our finding of more frequent major adverse neurologic events in the restrictive RBC-transfusion group suggests that the practice of restrictive transfusions may be harmful to preterm infants. To comprehensively identify preterm infants likely to require blood transfusion and to investigate the effectiveness of recombinant erythropoietin in this high risk subgroup.
                Double blind randomised controlled trial.
                Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
                Preterm infants < 33 weeks gestation and < 1700 g birth weight meeting specific criteria indicating a high possibility of requiring blood transfusion.
                Predictors of blood transfusion were determined by analysis of preterm infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit over a two year period. Using the criteria developed, high risk infants entered the study and received erythropoietin or sham treatment until 34 weeks completed gestation. The sample size was calculated to detect a reduction of one blood transfusion per infant (significance level 5%, power 80%).
                The selection criteria had a positive predictive value for transfusion of 91% and a negative predictive value of 94%. Mean birth weights and gestational ages were similar in the two groups. Absolute reticulocyte counts and haemoglobin values were higher in the group receiving erythropoietin. There was no significant difference in the number of blood transfusions received in the treatment and control groups. However, comparing transfusions given to < 1000 g infants after 30 days of age, there were significantly fewer transfusions in the erythropoietin group (mean (SD) 0.5 (0.7) in those receiving erythropoietin and 1.6 (1.1) in the controls). No adverse effects were noted.
                The selection criteria for the study were highly predictive of subsequent transfusion. In the group receiving erythropoietin, a reduction in transfusion requirements was apparent only in the < 1000 g birthweight group after 1 month of age. Bleeding and allogeneic transfusion remain constant problems in cardiac surgical procedures. In this study, we aimed to test the role of a routine thromboelastography (TEG)-based algorithm on bleeding and transfusions in patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
                Patients (n = 224) undergoing elective CABG with cardiopulmonary bypass were prospectively randomized into two groups according to transfusion strategy: in group 1 (clinician-directed transfusion, n = 110) need for blood transfusion was based on clinician's discretion and standard coagulation tests and in group 2 (TEG algorithm group, n = 114) kaolin-activated (k) TEG-based algorithm-guided perioperative transfusion management. Transfusion, blood loss, and outcome data were recorded.
                There were no differences in consumption of packed cell units, blood loss, re-exploration for bleeding, and early clinical outcome between the groups. Patients in the TEG group had significantly lower median units of fresh frozen plasma and platelets compared with the other group (p = 0.001). The median number of total allogeneic units transfused (packed cells and blood products) was significantly reduced in the TEG group compared with the other group (median 2, range 1-3 units vs. median 3, range 2-4 units, respectively, p = 0.001). The need for tranexamic acid was significantly diminished in the TEG group compared with the other group (10.3% vs. 19%, respectively, p = 0.007).
                Our results show that routine use of a kTEG-guided algorithm reduces the consumption of blood products in patients undergoing elective CABG. Adopting such an algorithm into routine management of these patients may help to improve clinical outcome and reduce the potential risks of transfusion-related complications and total costs after CABG. RCT was used in 73 patients who had experienced blood transfusion febrile reactions. For further two transfusions Benadryl was used before the first transfusion and hydrocortisone before the second in 36 patients. In the other group of 37 patients hydrocortisone was administered before the first the and Benadryl before the second transfusion. The effective rate of preventing transfusion febrile reactions with Benadryl (72.6%) was not significantly different from that with hydrocortisone (86.3%). A comparison of intraoperative autologous blood conservation techniques was carried out in 100 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. To facilitate comparisons of similar groups, patients were stratified into high-risk and low-risk groups based on the ratio of preoperative bleeding time to preoperative red blood cell volume. Our previous work suggested that patients with an elevated ratio have increased risk of excessive post-operative blood transfusion. We used this ratio to stratify the 100 patients to either the high-risk (39 patients) or low-risk (61 patients) strata. Within each stratum, patients were randomized to one of three groups: no intraoperative autologous blood conservation (control group), infusion of autologous platelet-rich plasma obtained from intraoperative plasmapheresis (PRP group), and infusion of autologous whole blood harvested immediately before cardiopulmonary bypass (whole blood group). Variables of postoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements were measured in each patient. Analysis of variance showed significant differences in blood product transfusions between groups. Patients in the high-risk stratum required significantly more blood product transfusions than those in the low-risk stratum (5.4 +/- 0.7 versus 2.0 +/- 0.6 units per patient; p < 0.001). In the high-risk stratum, PRP patients required significantly less postoperative blood transfusion compared with patients in the high-risk control group (2.9 +/- 2.1 versus 8.1 +/- 2.2 units per patient; p = 0.05). In the low-risk stratum, no intraoperative blood infusion method resulted in significant improvement in postoperative blood use.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
None of the three studies found that medication prior to transfusion reduces NHTR. This applied regardless of the patient's history of NHTR and the use of leukodepleted blood products in the transfusion. However, this conclusion is based on three trials of moderate to low quality. A better-powered RCT is necessary to evaluate the role of pretransfusion medication in the prevention of NHTR. Inclusion criteria should be restricted to patients at high risk of developing NHTR, with no restriction by age, history of transfusion reactions and type of blood products (leukodepleted or not).