Transfusion medicine reviews
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The use of prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) and fibrinogen concentrates (FIBCs) to achieve hemostasis in the perioperative setting as alternatives to allogeneic blood products remains controversial. To examine the efficacy and safety of PCCs and FIBCs, we conducted a systematic review-in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement-to compare the use of these transfusion alternatives in bleeding surgical patients. We performed a literature search of English articles published between July 1997 and July 2012 in MEDLINE via PubMed, The Cochrane Library, and CINAHL. ⋯ In studies of warfarin reversal, PCCs more rapidly corrected the International Normalized Ratio compared to plasma; however, in the setting of intracranial hemorrhage, functional outcomes were poor regardless of the reversal strategy. With regards to safety outcomes, reporting was not uniform and raises concerns of underreporting. Adequately powered, methodologically sound trials would be required for more definitive conclusions to be drawn about the efficacy of PCCs and FIBC over conventional blood components for the treatment of perioperative coagulopathy in bleeding patients.
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Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) during cardiac surgery can involve deliberate hypothermia of the systemic (22-36 °C) and coronary circulations (as low as 8-12 °C). Adverse sequelae of cold-active antibodies have been feared and reported under such conditions, and some centers thus elect to screen for cold agglutinins before CPB. We reviewed the literature on cold agglutinins in cardiac surgery and described the yields and effects of cold agglutinin screening (CAS) in 14,900 cardiac surgery patients undergoing CPB over 8 years at a single institution. ⋯ Finally, modification of CPB to attenuate hypothermia did not decrease adverse events. Based upon historical and local data, preclinical CAS is cost-substantial and nonspecific. Cold agglutinin screening does not promote an algorithm of care that meaningfully improves patient CPB outcomes.