• M C A Müller, R J de Haan, M B Vroom, and N P Juffermans.
• Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
• Transfus Med. 2014 Oct 1;24(5):292-6.

BackgroundProphylactic use of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) in critically ill patients with a coagulopathy is common. However, a lack of evidence of efficacy has resulted in a call for trials on the benefit of FFP in these patients. To date, conducting a trial on this subject has not been successful. Recently, a multi-center randomised trial was stopped prematurely due to slow inclusion.ObjectiveTo assess clinicians' opinions regarding a trial on prophylactic administration of FFP in coagulopathic critically ill patients who need to undergo an intervention.MethodsA survey among 55 intensivists who all participated in a randomised trial on the risks and benefits of FFP in critically ill patients.ResultsResponse rate was 84%. Majority of respondents indicated that international normalised ratio (INR) should be assessed before insertion of a central venous catheter (CVC) (61%), chest tube (89%) or tracheostomy (91%). Reasons to withhold transfusion of FFP to non-bleeding critically ill patients are risk of transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) (46%), fluid overload (39%) and allergic reaction (24%). Although, the majority of respondents expressed the opinion that the trial was clinically relevant, 56% indicated that ≥1 patient subgroups should have been excluded from participation.ConclusionIntensivists express the need for more evidence on the prophylactic use of FFP in coagulopathic critically ill patients. However, lack of knowledge about FFP and personal beliefs about the preferable transfusion strategy among clinicians, resulted in premature termination of a clinical trial on this topic.© 2014 British Blood Transfusion Society.

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