Blood usage at a large academic center in Maryland in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Blood usage and collections were impacted throughout 2020 both by the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as public health decisions affecting hospital operations. We sought to understand the longer-term effects of the pandemic on blood usage via changes in case volume and clinical intensity as well as whether the blood needs of COVID-19-positive patients differed from other transfused patients. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A single-center retrospective study of blood use in 2020 as compared to 2014-2019 was conducted at a tertiary care center. Statistical analysis was performed in an R-based workflow. p values are reported using two-sided t-tests for total hospital blood usage and using Mann-Whitney U tests for comparisons of patient blood usage. RESULTS: Mean monthly red cell usage in 2020 decreased by 11.2% (p = .003), plasma usage decreased by 23.8%, (p < .001) platelet usage decreased by 11.4% (p < .001), and monthly cryoprecipitate use increased by 18% (p = .03). A linear regression model predicted significant associations between total blood usage and the year, number of Medicare eligible discharges, and Case Mix Index. COVID-19-positive patients requiring at least one blood product did not use significantly different amounts of red cells, plasma, or platelets from all other transfused patients. CONCLUSIONS: Year 2020 began with decreased blood usage that was normalized by late spring. Reassuringly, transfused COVID-19-positive patients in general and those requiring ICU level care do not use significantly increased amounts of blood as compared to similar transfused hospital patients.