Transfusion medicine reviews
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Transfusion triggers: a systematic review of the literature.
Most clinical practice guidelines recommend restrictive red blood cell (RBC) transfusion practices with the goal of minimizing transmission of blood-borne pathogens. The purpose of this review is to compare clinical outcomes in patients randomized to restrictive versus liberal transfusion thresholds (triggers). We conducted a search of OVID Medline, Current Contents, the Cochrane Library, and bibliographies of published studies. ⋯ However, most of the data on clinical outcomes were generated by a single trial. The effects of conservative transfusion triggers on functional status, morbidity, and mortality, particularly in patients with cardiac disease, need to be tested in further large clinical trials. In countries with inadequate screening of donor blood, the data may constitute a stronger basis for avoiding transfusion with allogeneic RBCs.