Patient Blood Management Program Implementation: Comprehensive Recommendations and Practical Strategies.

INTRODUCTION: Blood transfusion is one of the most common medical practices worldwide. However, current scientific literature has shown that the immunomodulatory effects of blood transfusion are associated with an increased likelihood of infection, prolonged hospitalization, and morbimortality. Also, it means high costs for healthcare systems. METHODS: In this context, acknowledging that blood transfusions are essentially heterologous cell transplantations, the use of therapeutic options has gained strength and is collectively known as the patient blood management (PBM) program. PBM is an approach based on three main pillars: (1) treating anemias and coagulopathies in an optimized manner, especially in the preoperative period; (2) optimizing perioperative hemostasis and the use of blood recovery systems to avoid the loss of the patient's blood; (3) anemia tolerance, with improved oxygen delivery and reduced oxygen demand, particularly in the postoperative period. RESULTS: Current scientific evidence supports the effectiveness of PBM by reducing the need for blood transfusions, decreasing associated complications, and promoting more efficient and safer blood management. Thus, PBM not only improves clinical outcomes for patients but also contributes to the economic sustainability of healthcare systems. CONCLUSION: The aim of this review was to summarize PBM strategies in a comprehensive, evidence-based approach through a systematic and structured model for PBM implementation in tertiary hospitals. The recommendations proposed herein are from researchers and experts of a high-complexity university hospital in the network of the Sistema Único de Saúde, presenting itself as a strategy that can be followed as a guideline for PBM implementation in other settings.

Association of miR-338-3p with survival outcomes in gastric cancer patients who received peri-operative blood transfusion.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative blood transfusion (BT) is frequent in the treatment of gastric cancer (GC), but its effects on the prognosis of GC remains controversial. In this study, we aimed to further confirm the relationship of perioperative BT with GC overall survival and to evaluate the predictive value of microRNA-338-3p (miR-338-3p) for the prognosis of GC patients who received perioperative BT. METHODS: Clinical data and serum samples were collected and analyzed from 246 patients with GC. Five-year follow-up survival information was assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. miR-338-3p relative expression was assessed by RT-qPCR, and its relationship with the prognosis of GC patients, who received perioperative BT, was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: GC patients received perioperative BT had poor 5 year survival than those without BT. In patients received BT, miR-338-3p expression was higher in survival cases than died population and high miR-338-3p was independently associated with better overall survival prognosis. CONCLUSION: Perioperative BT is related with poor prognosis in GC patients and miR-338-3p may be a prognostic biomarker for GC patients received perioperative BT. BT in perioperative GC patients should be cautious, especially for those with low levels of miR-338-3p.

Irregular red blood cell antibodies, abnormal hemoglobin and dangerous universal blood donor insights from a public blood center in a Brazilian metropolitan area.

BACKGROUND: Immunohematology tests are crucial in transfusion safety. This study aimed to assess irregular red blood cell (RBC) antibodies, abnormal hemoglobin and dangerous universal blood donors at a public blood center in a Brazilian metropolitan area. METHODS: A cross-sectional study included all consecutive blood donors from January 2018 to December 2021 at the Brasília Blood Center Foundation, Federal District (FD), Brazil. RESULTS: Among 205,965 blood donations, irregular RBC antibodies were found in 743 (0.4 %). Abnormal hemoglobin was observed in 5396 (2.6 %): 3959 (1.9 %) with Hb AS, 1344 (0.7 %) with Hb AC, and 93 (< 0,1 %) with other hemoglobin variants. Of O group donors, 12.5 % (9646) had hemolysins: 12.5 % (2410) both anti-A and anti-B, 8.7 % (9646) only anti-A, and 1.6 % (1763) only anti-B hemolysins. Female sex (p < 0.001) and increasing age (p < 0.001) were associated with irregular RBC antibodies. O and/or Rh(D)-positive blood groups had a lower prevalence of irregular RBC antibodies compared to other ABO and/or Rh(D)-negative groups. Age (p < 0.001) and female sex (p < 0.001) were associated with anti-A/anti-B hemolysins, while FD residency was associated with reduced incidence (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Anti-A/anti-B hemolysins in O group donors, abnormal hemoglobin and irregular RBC antibodies pose risks to transfusion practice and should not be overlooked. Advancing age, female sex, ABO blood group other than O, or Rh(D)- negative are independently associated with the presence of irregular RBC antibodies. Dangerous universal blood donors were associated with advanced age, female gender, Rh(D)-positive blood type, and individuals residing in a Brazilian state other than where the blood center was located.

Blood transfusion dynamics in Colombia: Unveiling patterns, reactions and survival rates in multitransfused patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is no consensus on a universally accepted threshold to categorize a patient as multitransfused. In 2019, Colombia established the definition of a multitransfused patient as someone who has received six or more blood components, irrespective of the time frame. This study aims to delineate the characteristics, adverse transfusion reactions (ATRs, definitions according to the International Society of Blood Transfusion [ISBT]) and survival rates in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed an analysis from the data of all institutions engaged in blood component transfusions at the national level who notified events to the National Information System of Haemovigilance (SIHEVI-INS), from January 2018 to December 2022. The selection criteria focused on individuals who not only exhibited ATRs but also received six or more blood components. RESULTS: Among the 1,784,428 patients who received 6,637,271 blood components, an average of 3.7 components per patient was noted. Concurrently, 8378 ATRs were reported (12.6 ATRs/10,000 transfused components). Within this cohort, 691 patients met the criteria for multitransfusion. Predominantly women (51.8%), these individuals received between 6 and 14 blood components. Out of the 691 multitransfused individuals who experienced ATR, 541 had an allergic reaction. Conversely, out of the 6479 non-multitransfused individuals who experienced ATR, 3835 had an allergic reaction (odds ratio: 2.49, 95% confidence interval: 2.06-3.0). Notably, 271 multitransfused individuals (39.2%) were documented as deceased, with 76% succumbing within 12 months of encountering their most recent ATR. CONCLUSION: Multitransfused individuals in Colombia, being a high-risk group, exhibit a heightened susceptibility to allergic reactions, surpassing the frequency observed in other transfusion populations. This underscores the necessity for tailored medical care specific to this group.

Evaluating the Shock Index, Revised Assessment of Bleeding and Transfusion (RABT), Assessment of Blood Consumption (ABC) and novel PTTrauma score to predict critical transfusion threshold (CAT) in penetrating thoracic trauma.

The shock index (SI) has been associated with predicting transfusion needs in trauma patients. However, its utility in penetrating thoracic trauma (PTTrauma) for predicting the Critical Administration Threshold (CAT) has not been well-studied. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of SI in predicting CAT in PTTrauma patients and compare its performance with the Assessment of Blood Consumption (ABC) and Revised Assessment of Bleeding and Transfusion (RABT) scores. We conducted a prognostic type 2, single-center retrospective observational cohort study on patients with PTTrauma and an Injury Severity Score (ISS) > 9. The primary exposure was SI at admission, and the primary outcome was CAT. Logistic regression and decision curve analysis were used to assess the predictive performance of SI and the PTTrauma score, a novel model incorporating clinical variables. Of the 620 participants, 53 (8.5%) had more than one CAT. An SI > 0.9 was associated with CAT (adjusted OR 4.89, 95% CI 1.64-14.60). The PTTrauma score outperformed SI, ABC, and RABT scores in predicting CAT (AUC 0.867, 95% CI 0.826-0.908). SI is a valuable predictor of CAT in PTTrauma patients. The novel PTTrauma score demonstrates superior performance compared to existing scores, highlighting the importance of developing targeted predictive models for specific injury patterns. These findings can guide clinical decision-making and resource allocation in the management of PTTrauma.

Highly Defined Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines Mimic Donor Red Blood Cell Antigen Profiles for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Use.

Our group generated two induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines for in vitro red blood cell (RBC) production from blood donors with extensively known erythrocyte antigen profiles. One line was intended to give rise to RBCs for transfusions in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), while the other was developed to create RBC panel reagents. Two blood donors were selected based on their RBC phenotypes, further complemented by high-throughput DNA array analysis to obtain a more comprehensive erythrocyte antigen profile. Enriched erythroblast populations from the donors' peripheral blood mononuclear cells were reprogrammed into iPSCs using nonintegrative plasmid vectors. The iPSC lines were characterized and subsequently subjected to hematopoietic differentiation. iPSC PB02 and iPSC PB12 demonstrated in vitro and in vivo iPSC features and retained the genotype of each blood donor's RBC antigen profile. Colony-forming cell assays confirmed that iPSC PB02 and iPSC PB12 generated hematopoietic progenitors. These two iPSC lines were generated with defined erythrocyte antigen profiles, self-renewal capacity, and hematopoietic differentiation potential. With improvements in hematopoietic differentiation, these cells could potentially be more efficiently differentiated into RBCs in the future. They could serve as a complementary approach for obtaining donor-independent RBCs and addressing specific demands for blood transfusions.

Red blood cell transfusions in preterm infants in 2021: a narrative review / Transfusão de células vermelhas em prematuros em 2021: uma revisão narrativa

Anemia is frequent in preterm infants. Red blood cell transfusion practices vary between different centers. The objective of this study was to review red blood cell transfusion practices in preterm infants between 2020 and 2021. This was a narrative review that included studies published on PubMed (Medline) and Web of Science between October 2020 and October 2021. Ten studies were included finally. Red blood cell transfusion frequency was variable. Some neonatal units did not report transfusion protocols. Most studies reported volumes of 10-15 ml/kg per transfusion. The implementation of an anemia care bundle and adoption of restrictive transfusion resulted in a reduction in the number of transfusions, the volume transfused, and a reduction in the rate of multiple transfusions. We suggest that neonatal units that care for preterm infants should have a transfusion protocol based on the best evidence available and this issue may improve.

A anemia é frequente nos bebês prematuros. As práticas de transfusão de glóbulos vermelhos variam entre os diferentes hospitais. O objetivo deste estudo foi revisar as práticas de transfusão de glóbulos vermelhos em bebês prematuros entre 2020 e 2021. Esta foi uma revisão narrativa que incluiu estudos publicados no PubMed (Medline) e Web of Science entre outubro de 2020 e outubro de 2021. Dez estudos foram definitivamente incluídos. A frequência de transfusão de glóbulos vermelhos foi variável. Algumas unidades neonatais não relataram protocolos de transfusão. A maioria dos estudos relatou volumes de 10-15 ml/kg por transfusão. A implantação de um conjunto de cuidados para anemia e a adoção de transfusão restritiva resultaram em uma redução do número de transfusões, do volume transfundido e uma redução na taxa de transfusões múltiplas. Sugerimos que as unidades neonatais que prestam cuidados a bebês prematuros devem ter um protocolo de transfusão baseado em evidências para que todo esse problema melhore.

High prevalence of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses in blood donors during a dengue outbreak and an endemic period in Colombia.

Objective: Arboviruses pose a challenge in ensuring the supply of pathogen-free blood components because they are not routinely screened in blood banks, and blood components from infected asymptomatic donors could be transfused. This study aimed to detect and characterize arboviral infections in Colombian blood donors. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, the prevalence of dengue (DENV), Zika (ZIKV), and chikungunya (CHIKV) viruses and co-infections of blood donors were compared between an epidemic period (November 2019-February 2020, n = 462) and an endemic period (November 2021-August 2022, n = 1,119). Viral RNA from each donor serum was purified, and the viruses were detected using a previously standardized multiplex hemi-nested RT-PCR protocol. Subsequently, donors who tested positive were surveyed 15 days after the detection of the virus to identify clinical characteristics related to the arboviral infection. The prevalences of each virus were presented as percentages and compared between epidemic and endemic periods. Results: Significantly higher prevalences were found in the epidemic period compared with the endemic period for DENV (14.5 vs. 1.9%), ZIKV (7.8 vs. 0.3%), CHIKV (8 vs. 3.3%), and co-infections (4.3 vs. 0.2%). The survey response rate of positive donors in the two periods was 83/175 (47%). In total, 57% of the donors surveyed were asymptomatic. Symptomatic donors most frequently reported headache (31%), malaise (13%), arthralgia (10%), and fever/chills (8%). Conclusion: The prevalence observed in epidemic and endemic periods was higher than that reported in other studies in the Americas. The high proportion of asymptomatic cases found, in addition to the mild and nonspecific manifestations among the symptomatic, may limit the effectiveness of the donor selection criteria used to mitigate the risk of transfusion-transmitted arboviruses.

Blood transfusion is correlated with elevated adult all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in the United States: NHANES 1999 to 2018 population-based matched propensity score study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The association of blood transfusion with an increase in medium- and short-term mortality in specific populations has been confirmed. However, the correlation between blood transfusion and long-term mortality in the general population remains unclear. This cohort study evaluated the correlation between blood transfusion and overall and cause-specific mortality in the general American adult population. METHODS: The authors utilized 10 sets of 2-year cycle data (1999-2018) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on the outcomes of adults who did and did not receive blood transfusions. Propensity score-matching (1:1) was performed based on age, sex, race, education level, marital status, poverty-income ratio, arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, cancer, anemia, hypertension, and diabetes status. After controlling for demographic characteristics and clinical risk factors, Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between blood transfusion and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. RESULTS: The study included 48,004 adult participants. The risk of all-cause mortality increased by 101 % with blood transfusion, and the risk of cardiovascular mortality increased by 165 %. After propensity score-matching, 6,116 pairs of cases were retained, and the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 84 % with blood transfusion, and the risk of cardiovascular mortality increased by 137 %. The sensitivity analysis results were robust. CONCLUSIONS: In the general American population, blood transfusion significantly impacts long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and may be an unacknowledged risk factor for death. Thus, the effective management of blood transfusion in the general population may be beneficial.

Intraoperative and immediate postoperative transfusion: Clinical-hematological profile of transfunded patients in a university hospital.

INTRODUCTION: The transfusion practice by surgery blood reserve, varied among services, must be performed through the rational and restrictive use of blood components because it is a scarce and expensive resource for health care services. OBJECTIVE: Analyze the use of blood products for surgery blood reserve by means of the study of the clinical-hematological profile of patients submitted to intraoperative and immediate postoperative transfusions. METHODS: This was an observational, cross-sectional, and retrospective study, conducted by collecting biological, operational, and laboratory variables, involving 680 patients at a university hospital who had elective surgery with surgery blood reserve request sent during the period from October 2021 to October 2022. RESULTS: The overall transfusion rate was 25.44%, and the mean preoperative hemoglobin level of transfused patients was 9.74 ± 2.50 g/dL, with the mean number of transfusions packed red blood cell units was 1.58 ± 0.77. Patients with higher preoperative hemoglobin levels were less likely to have transfusion (p < 0.001) and patients who had surgical oncologic were more likely to require transfusion (p = 0.048). The transfusion rate of packed red blood cells and platelets concentrates, compared to what was requested, was 15.86% and 5.82%. CONCLUSION: There is a tendency of transfusions to follow restrictive models, with higher transfusion probability in surgical oncologic. Furthermore, there should be more a conscise use of the surgery blood reserves request.

Underreporting of transfusion incidents.

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion is an effective therapeutic practice. However, even adopting all procedures for transfusion safety, there are risks, one of which is immediate adverse reactions. The aim of this study was, by active search, to evaluate the occurrence of immediate adverse reactions estimating the occurrence rate within the first 24 h. METHODS: An exploratory, descriptive, prospective study with quantitative analysis was carried out of patients undergoing surgery who received blood component transfusions during hospitalization from October 2018 to August 2019. Data on blood component request forms were collected from the transfusion agency by reviewing medical records and interviewing the patient or family members. Descriptive statistics and the chi-square test were used to analyze the association of demographic variables with the presence or absence of transfusion reactions. RESULTS: A total of 1042 blood component units were transfused in 393 transfusions performed on 184 patients. The main transfused blood component was packed red blood cells. Seventeen reactions were identified in the medical records, using the active search method, none of which had been reported. The transfusion reaction rate was 16.3 occurrences per 1000 transfused units, while the notification rate for the 9389 blood component units transfused by the transfusion agency in the study period was 3.83/1000. There was no statistically significant association between the occurrences or not of transfusion reactions and demographic variables. CONCLUSION: Through the active search method, it was possible to observe the underreporting of adverse reactions, showing inadequate compliance with current legislation, which is essential to minimize errors and increase transfusion safety.

Predicting the Need for Blood Transfusions in Cardiac Surgery: A Comparison between Machine Learning Algorithms and Established Risk Scores in the Brazilian Population.

INTRODUCTION: Blood transfusion is a common practice in cardiac surgery, despite its well-known negative effects. To mitigate blood transfusion-associated risks, identifying patients who are at higher risk of needing this procedure is crucial. Widely used risk scores to predict the need for blood transfusions have yielded unsatisfactory results when validated for the Brazilian population. METHODS: In this retrospective study, machine learning (ML) algorithms were compared to predict the need for blood transfusions in a cohort of 495 cardiac surgery patients treated at a Brazilian reference service between 2019 and 2021. The performance of the models was evaluated using various metrics, including the area under the curve (AUC), and compared to the commonly used Transfusion Risk and Clinical Knowledge (TRACK) and Transfusion Risk Understanding Scoring Tool (TRUST) scoring systems. RESULTS: The study found that the model had the highest performance, achieving an AUC of 0.7350 (confidence interval [CI]: 0.7203 to 0.7497). Importantly, all ML algorithms performed significantly better than the commonly used TRACK and TRUST scoring systems. TRACK had an AUC of 0.6757 (CI: 0.6609 to 0.6906), while TRUST had an AUC of 0.6622 (CI: 0.6473 to 0.6906). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that ML algorithms may offer a more accurate prediction of the need for blood transfusions than the traditional scoring systems and could enhance the accuracy of predicting blood transfusion requirements in cardiac surgery patients. Further research could focus on optimizing and refining ML algorithms to improve their accuracy and make them more suitable for clinical use.

Consensus of the Brazilian association of hematology, hemotherapy and cellular therapy on patient blood management: Definition of Patient Blood Management.

Managing the patient's blood and hematopoietic system is like managing any of the other organs and organ systems during patient care. Specialists control the heart, kidneys, endocrine system, etc. and the patient's blood requires similar clinical treatment. The hematopoietic system and its circulatory products are fundamental for the healthy functioning of the human body. In simple terms, Patient Blood Management (PBM) is an organized, patient-centered approach in which the entire healthcare team coordinates efforts to improve outcomes by managing and preserving the patient's own blood. By reducing dependence on blood transfusions, PBM seeks to improve clinical outcomes, reduce the risks and costs associated with transfusions, and improve the safety and quality of patient care. Essentially, the concept of PBM is about the holistic management and preservation of the patient's own blood in the medical and surgical context.

Haemovigilance survey and screening strategy for arthropod-borne viruses in blood donors from Argentina.

Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) count among emerging infections, which represent a major challenge for transfusion safety worldwide. To assess the risk of arboviruses-transmission by transfusion (ATT), we performed a survey to evaluate the potential threat for transfusion safety. Samples were retrospectively and randomly collected from donors who donated during the peak of dengue incidence in Cordoba (years: 2016 and 2019-2022). A cost-efficient strategy for molecular screening was implemented with a nucleic acid test (NAT) configured with Flavivirus and Alphavirus-universal degenerated primers targeting conserved gene regions. Besides, we evaluated the neutralizing antibody (NAb) prevalence by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). A total of 1438 samples were collected. Among the NAT-screened samples, one resulted positive for Flavivirus detection. Subsequent sequencing of the PCR product revealed Saint Louis Encephalitis Virus (SLEV) infection (GeneBank accession number OR236721). NAb prevalence was 2.95% for anti-Dengue, 9.94% anti-SLEV, 1.09% anti-West Nile Virus, and 0% anti-Chikungunya. One of the NAb-positive samples also resulted positive for IgM against SLEV but negative by ARN detection. This is the first haemovigilance study developed in Argentina that evaluates the potential risk of ATT and the first research to determine the prevalence of NAb against Flavivirus through PNRT to avoid possible cross-reactions between Ab against Flavivirus. Herein, the finding of one SLEV-viremic donor and the detection of anti-SLEV IgM in a different donor demonstrated a potential threat for transfusion safety and emphasized the need for increased vigilance and proactive measures to ensure the safety of blood supplies.

Características de los niños hospitalizados que recibieron transfusiones de sangre desplasmatizada durante el 2019: Hospital Pediátrico-Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell / Characteristics of hospitalized children who received deplasmatized blood transfusions during 2019: Hospital Pediátrico-Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell / Características das crianças hospitalizadas que receberam transfusões de sangue desplasmatizado durante 2019: Hospital Pediátrico-Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell

Introducción: la terapia transfusional es un procedimiento terapéutico que ha contribuido a disminuir la mortalidad, y mejorar la calidad de vida de pacientes con diversas patologías. La utilización de guías en la práctica transfusional, contribuye a la utilización racional de las mismas. Objetivo: describir las características de los niños de 1 mes a 14 años 11 meses hospitalizados en el Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell durante el 2019 que recibieron transfusión de sangre desplasmatizada. Metodología: estudio descriptivo retrospectivo. Se incluyeron los niños entre 1 mes y 14 años 11 meses asistidos en emergencia, unidad de reanimación, cuidados moderados, intermedios e intensivos del Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell. Variables: edad, sexo, área de asistencia, motivo de ingreso, indicación de transfusión, cifras de Hb pre y post-transfusión, clasificación de la anemia, dosis. Resultados: se incluyeron 160 transfusiones correspondientes a 97 pacientes, 56% eran de sexo masculino. Media de edad 3 años, 52% < 1 año. El motivo de ingreso más frecuente fue patología respiratoria infecciosa 37%. El 79% fueron transfundidos en unidad de cuidados intermedios e intensivos. Media Hb pre-transfusión 7,45 g/dL y post-transfusión de 10,1 g/dL. Predominó la anemia moderada, normocítica-normocrómica, pura. La dosis media de sangre desplasmatizada transfundida fue 12 cc/kg. Conclusiones: en esta serie predominaron los pacientes de sexo masculino y menores a un año que ingresaron principalmente por patología respiratoria infecciosa. La mayoría de los pacientes transfundidos estaban en cuidados intensivos. Futuros estudios, de diseño prospectivo, que incluyan pacientes de todos los escenarios asistenciales y de otros prestadores de salud, contribuirán a continuar el estudio de los pacientes transfundidos y a la elaboración de recomendaciones o protocolos locales.

Introduction: Transfusion therapy is a therapeutic procedure that has contributed to reducing mortality and improving the quality of life of patients with various pathologies. The use of guides in transfusion practice contributes to their rational use. Objective: To describe the characteristics of children from 1 month to 14 years 11 months who were hospitalized in the Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell during 2019 who received a red blood cell transfusion. Methodology: Retrospective descriptive study. Children aged 1 month to 14 years and 11 months assisted in the emergency, moderate, intermediate and intensive care of the Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell were included in the study. Variables: age, sex, area of care, reason for admission, indication for transfusion, Hb figures before and after transfusion, classification of anaemia, dose. The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. Results:160 transfusions corresponding to 97 patients were included, 56% were male. Mean age 3 years, 52% <1 year. The most frequent reason for admission was infectious respiratory disease 37%. 79% were transfused in the intermediate and intensive care unit. Mean Hb pre-transfusion 7.45 g/dL and post- transfusion of 10.1 g/dL. Moderate, normocytic-normochromic, pure anaemia predominated. The mean dose of deplasmatized blood transfused was 12 cc/kg. Conclusions: In this series, male patients less than one year of age predominated, admitted mainly for infectious respiratory disease. Most of the transfused patients were in intensive care. Future studies of prospective design that include patients from all healthcare settings and from other healthcare providers, will contribute to continuing the study of transfused patients and to the development of local recommendations or protocols.

Introdução: a terapia transfusional é um procedimento terapêutico que tem contribuído para reduzir a mortalidade e melhorar a qualidade de vida de pacientes com diversas patologias. A utilização de diretrizes na prática transfusional contribui para o seu uso racional. Objetivo: descrever as características das crianças de 1 mês a 14 anos e 11 meses internadas no Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell durante o ano de 2019 que receberam transfusão de sangue desplasmatizado. Metodologia: estudo descritivo retrospectivo. Foram incluídas crianças com idade entre 1 mês e 14 anos e 11 meses atendidas na emergência, unidade de reanimação, cuidados moderados, intermediários e intensivos do Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell. Variáveis: idade, sexo, área de atendimento, motivo da admissão, indicação de transfusão, valores de Hb pré e pós-transfusão, classificação da anemia, dose. Resultados: foram incluídas 160 transfusões correspondentes a 97 pacientes, 56% eram do sexo masculino. A idade média foi de 3 anos, 52% < 1 ano. O motivo mais frequente de admissão foi pato- logia respiratória infecciosa (37%). 79% foram transfundidos na unidade de tratamento intermediário e intensivo. Hb média pré-transfusional de 7,45 g/dL e Hb pós-transfusional de 10,1 g/dL. Predominou a anemia moderada, normocítica-normocrômica e pura. A dose média de sangue desplasmatizado transfundida foi de 12 cc/kg. Conclusões: nesta série, houve uma predominância de pacientes do sexo masculino com menos de um ano de idade que foram admitidos principalmente por patologia respiratória infecciosa. A maioria dos pacientes transfundidos estava em tratamento intensivo. Estudos prospectivos futuros incluindo pacientes de todos os ambientes de atendimento e outros presta- dores de serviços de saúde, contribuirão para um estudo mais aprofundado dos pacientes transfundidos e para o desenvolvimento de recomendações ou protocolos locais.

Umbral crítico de administración en pacientes con trauma severo y reanimación endovascular: ¿Un concepto útil? / Critical Administration Threshold in severe trauma patients and endovascular resuscitation: A useful concept?

Introducción. Se describe la utilidad del umbral crítico de administración (CAT por su denominación en inglés) como herramienta para la reanimación hemostática en pacientes con trauma severo y oclusión endovascular aórtica. Métodos. Revisión retrospectiva de pacientes adultos con hemorragia por trauma, con o sin oclusión endovascular aórtica (REBOA), atendidos entre enero de 2015 y junio de 2020, en un centro de trauma nivel I en Cali, Colombia. Se registraron variables demográficas, severidad del trauma, estado clínico, requerimiento transfusional, tiempo hasta CAT+ y CAT alcanzado (1, 2 ó 3). Resultados. Se incluyeron 93 pacientes, se utilizó REBOA en 36 y manejo tradicional en 57. El grupo REBOA presentó mayor volumen de sangrado (mediana de 3000 ml, RIC: 1950-3625 ml) frente al grupo control (mediana de1500 ml, RIC: 700-2975ml) (p<0,001) y mayor cantidad de glóbulos rojos transfundidos en las primeras 6 horas (mediana de 5, RIC:4-9); p=0,015 y en las primeras 24 horas (mediana de 6, RIC: 4-11); p=0,005. No hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas en número de pacientes CAT+ entre grupos o tiempo hasta alcanzarlo. Sin embargo, el estado CAT+ durante los primeros 30 minutos de la cirugía fue mayor en grupo REBOA (24/36, 66,7 %) frente al grupo control (17/57, 29,8 %; p=0,001), teniendo este mayor tasa de mortalidad intrahospitalaria frente a los pacientes CAT-. Conclusión. El umbral crítico de administración es una herramienta útil en la reanimación hemostática de pacientes con trauma y REBOA, que podría predecir mortalidad precoz.

Introduction. The objective is to describe the utility of the Critical Administration Threshold (CAT) as a tool in hemostatic resuscitation in patients with severe trauma and REBOA. Methods. Retrospective review between January 2015 and June 2020 of adult patients with hemorrhage secondary to trauma with or without REBOA in a level I trauma center in Cali, Colombia. Demographic variables, trauma severity, clinical status, transfusion needs, time to CAT+ and number of CAT achieved (1, 2 or 3) were recorded. Results. Ninety-three patients were included, in which REBOA was used in 36 and traditional management in 57. The REBOA group had a higher bleeding volume (3000 ml), IQR: 1950-3625 ml vs the control group (1500 ml, IQR: 700-2975 ml) (p<0.001) and a higher rate of PRBC units transfused in the first 6 hours (median 5, IQR: 4-9); p=0.015 and in the first 24 hours (median 6, IQR: 4-11); p=0.005. There were no statistically significant differences in the number of CAT+ patients between groups or time to CAT+. However, CAT+ status during the first 30 minutes of surgery was higher in the REBOA Group (24/36, 66.7%) vs. the control group (17/57, 29.8%; p=0.001), having this group a higher in-hospital mortality rate vs. CAT- patients. Conclusion. CAT is a useful tool in the hemostatic resuscitation of patients with trauma and REBOA that could predict early mortality.

Frequency of red blood cell transfusions in preterm neonates in Brazil: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Red blood cell transfusions are frequent in preterm neonates. The proportion of preterm neonates transfused in Brazil remains unknown. We systematically reviewed the literature to estimate the frequency of red blood cell transfusions in preterm neonates in Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The LILACS, EMBASE, Cochrane, SciELO, MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, BDTD and 27 national university institutional databases were searched for studies that analysed red blood cell transfusion in preterm neonates in Brazil without period restriction. The Preferred Reporting Items in Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed, and the GRADE methodology was applied. A random-effects model along with the restricted maximum likelihood method was used, and the Freeman-Tukey transformed proportion was used to estimate effect size. RESULTS: Nine studies, representing 6548 preterm neonates, were included in the qualitative and quantitative analyses. The mean gestational age ranged from 26.0 to 31.6 weeks. Most of the studies were from the Southeast region. The pooled estimated frequency of red blood cell transfusions was 58.0% (95% confidence interval = 52.0%-64.0%, p < 0.001) with low certainty. There was statistically significant heterogeneity among studies (I2 = 92.5%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this current meta-analysis of the evidence available, which included moderate and extremely preterm neonates, the observed frequency of red blood cell transfusions in preterm neonates in Brazil was 58.0% and this estimate can help health programming. Some Brazilian regions were not included in this study, and further research is needed to provide a more representative overview of Brazil.

Predicting the Need for Blood Transfusions in Cardiac Surgery: A Comparison between Machine Learning Algorithms and Established Risk Scores in the Brazilian Population

ABSTRACT Introduction: Blood transfusion is a common practice in cardiac surgery, despite its well-known negative effects. To mitigate blood transfusion-associated risks, identifying patients who are at higher risk of needing this procedure is crucial. Widely used risk scores to predict the need for blood transfusions have yielded unsatisfactory results when validated for the Brazilian population. Methods: In this retrospective study, machine learning (ML) algorithms were compared to predict the need for blood transfusions in a cohort of 495 cardiac surgery patients treated at a Brazilian reference service between 2019 and 2021. The performance of the models was evaluated using various metrics, including the area under the curve (AUC), and compared to the commonly used Transfusion Risk and Clinical Knowledge (TRACK) and Transfusion Risk Understanding Scoring Tool (TRUST) scoring systems. Results: The study found that the model had the highest performance, achieving an AUC of 0.7350 (confidence interval [CI]: 0.7203 to 0.7497). Importantly, all ML algorithms performed significantly better than the commonly used TRACK and TRUST scoring systems. TRACK had an AUC of 0.6757 (CI: 0.6609 to 0.6906), while TRUST had an AUC of 0.6622 (CI: 0.6473 to 0.6906). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that ML algorithms may offer a more accurate prediction of the need for blood transfusions than the traditional scoring systems and could enhance the accuracy of predicting blood transfusion requirements in cardiac surgery patients. Further research could focus on optimizing and refining ML algorithms to improve their accuracy and make them more suitable for clinical use.

Nursing technicians' proxemic behaviors during transfusions in hospitalized clients / Comportamientos proxémicos de técnicos de enfermería durante transfusiones en clientes internados / Comportamentos proxêmicos de técnicos de enfermagem durante o ato transfusional em clientes hospitalizados

ABSTRACT Objective: to describe nursing technicians' proxemic behaviors during transfusions in hospitalized clients. Method: a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study based on non-participant observation, recorded in an instrument prepared from the Theory of Proxemic Behavior. The participants were 18 nursing technicians from a reference hospital for Hematology and Hemotherapy in the Brazilian Southeast Region, from April to December 2022. Data analysis prioritized thematic content. Results: the following stood out: eye contact; instrumental touch; normal tone of voice; and intimate and personal distances. These indicate welcoming, attention and technical vigilance when carrying out the transfusions. Conclusion: there is a need to raise nursing technicians' awareness regarding proxemic behaviors when welcoming clients. That is: expanding listening, bonding and effective interpersonal coexistence, and favoring the reach of comprehensive health care in Hematology and Hemotherapy.

RESUMEN Objetivo: describir los comportamientos proxémicos de técnicos de Enfermería durante transfusiones en clientes internados. Método: estudio cualitativo, descriptivo y exploratorio, basado en la observación no participante y registrado en un instrumento elaborado a partir de la Teoría del Comportamiento Proxémico. Los participantes fueron 18 técnicos de Enfermería de un hospital que es referencia en Hematología y Hemoterapia de la Región Sudeste de Brasil, entre abril y diciembre de 2022. En el análisis de los datos se priorizó el contenido temático. Resultados: se destacó lo siguiente: contacto visual; toque instrumental; tono de voz normal; y distancias íntima y personal; los cuales indican buen recibimiento, atención y vigilancia técnica al realizar las transfusiones. Conclusión: es necesario generar conciencia en los técnicos de Enfermería con respecto a los comportamientos proxémicos al recibir a los clientes. Eso implica: prestar más atención al escuchar y ampliar los vínculos y la convivencia interpersonal efectiva, además de favorecer el alcance de las medidas de atención en integrales en Hematología y Hemoterapia.

RESUMO Objetivo: descrever os comportamentos proxêmicos de técnicos de enfermagem durante o ato transfusional em clientes hospitalizados. Método: estudo qualitativo, descritivo e exploratório, pautado em observação não participante, registrado em instrumento elaborado a partir da teoria do comportamento proxêmico. Participaram 18 técnicos de enfermagem de um hospital referência em hematologia e hemoterapia da Região Sudeste do Brasil, de abril a dezembro de 2022. A análise de dados priorizou o conteúdo temático. Resultados: destacaram-se o contato visual; o toque instrumental; o tom de voz normal e as distâncias íntima e pessoal. Estes, indicativos de acolhimento, atenção e vigilância técnica à realização do ato transfusional. Conclusão: há necessidade de despertar a consciência dos técnicos de enfermagem em relação aos comportamentos proxêmicos durante o acolhimento aos clientes. Isto é: ampliar a escuta, o vínculo, a efetiva convivência interpessoal e favorecer o alcance dos cuidados em saúde integral na hematologia e hemoterapia.

Blood transfusion is correlated with elevated adult all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in the United States: NHANES 1999 to 2018 population-based matched propensity score study

Abstract Background and aims The association of blood transfusion with an increase in medium- and short-term mortality in specific populations has been confirmed. However, the correlation between blood transfusion and long-term mortality in the general population remains unclear. This cohort study evaluated the correlation between blood transfusion and overall and cause-specific mortality in the general American adult population. Methods The authors utilized 10 sets of 2-year cycle data (1999-2018) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on the outcomes of adults who did and did not receive blood transfusions. Propensity score-matching (1:1) was performed based on age, sex, race, education level, marital status, poverty-income ratio, arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, cancer, anemia, hypertension, and diabetes status. After controlling for demographic characteristics and clinical risk factors, Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between blood transfusion and all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Results The study included 48,004 adult participants. The risk of all-cause mortality increased by 101 % with blood transfusion, and the risk of cardiovascular mortality increased by 165 %. After propensity score-matching, 6,116 pairs of cases were retained, and the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 84 % with blood transfusion, and the risk of cardiovascular mortality increased by 137 %. The sensitivity analysis results were robust. Conclusions In the general American population, blood transfusion significantly impacts long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and may be an unacknowledged risk factor for death. Thus, the effective management of blood transfusion in the general population may be beneficial.