The Relationship between Blood Transfusion and Mortality in Trauma Patients

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Using a propensity analysis, a recent study reported that blood transfusion might not be an independent predictor of mortality in critically ill patients, which contradicted the RESULTS of earlier studies. This study aims to reveal whether or not blood transfusion is an independent predictor of mortality in trauma patients. METHODS: A total of three hundred fifty consecutive trauma patients who were admitted to our emergency center from January 2004 to October 2005 and who underwent an arterial blood gas analysis and a venous blood analysis were included in this study. Their medical records were collected prospectively and retrospectively. Using a multivariate logistic analysis, data on the total population and on the propensity-score -matched population were retrospectively analyzed for association with mortality. RESULTS: Of the three hundred fifty patients, one hundred twenty-nine (36.9%) received a blood transfusion. These patients were older (mean age 48 vs. 44 years; p=0.019) and had a higher mortality rate (27.9% vs.7.7%; p<0.001). In the total population, the multivariate analysis revealed that the Glasgow coma scale score, the systolic blood pressure, bicarbonate, the need for respiratory support, past medical history of heart disease, the amount of blood transfusion for 24 hours, and hemoglobin were associated with mortality. In thirty-seven pairs of patients matched with a propensity score, potassium, new injury severity score, amount of blood transfusion for 24 hours, and pulse rate were associated with mortality in the multivariate analysis. Therefore, blood transfusion was a significant independent predictor of mortality in trauma patients. CONCLUSION: Blood transfusion was revealed to be a significant independent predictor of mortality in the total population of trauma patients and in the propensity-score-matched population.