Annals of hematology
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Annals of hematology · Dec 2013
Storage time of red blood cell concentrates and adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery: a cohort study.
Stored red blood cells undergo progressive structural and functional changes over time. Recently, concerns have been raised about the transfusion of older red blood cell (RBC) concentrates after cardiac surgery. The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that longer storage time of RBCs increases the risk of adverse outcome after cardiac surgery. ⋯ The incidence of the primary outcome was 8.6 % in the "any older" group and 4.5 % in the younger group (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.68; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 0.65-4.34). Prolonged ICU stay was 12.3 % in the "any older" group and 6.3 % in the younger group (adjusted OR 1.58; 95 % CI, 0.69-3.66). In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, transfusion of RBCs stored for more than 2 weeks was not associated with adverse outcomes.
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Annals of hematology · Dec 2013
Serum hepcidin measured with an improved ELISA correlates with parameters of iron metabolism in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.
Patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) often show elevated serum ferritin levels at diagnosis, probably caused by increased intestinal iron uptake attributable to ineffective erythropoiesis. Many patients also develop transfusional iron overload. Hepcidin, a pivotal regulator of iron homeostasis, controls iron uptake in the duodenum as well as iron release from macrophages and is potentially involved in iron distribution to different organs. ⋯ A dichotomized hepcidin level correlated with worse survival. EIA-4705 as described by Schwarz showed no correlation with markers of iron metabolism. Measurement of serum hepcidin with an improved ELISA yield results that correlate with other parameters of iron metabolism as well as survival and transfusion needs.