Transfusion
-
Comparative Study
Rituximab-ESHAP as a mobilization regimen for relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphomas: a comparison with ESHAP.
It has previously been shown that ESHAP was an effective mobilization regimen for patients with pretreated lymphoma. To extend these observations, the efficacy and feasibility of rituximab plus ESHAP regimen in CD20+ B-cell NHL were assessed. ⋯ Addition of rituximab to ESHAP chemotherapy did not have any adverse effects on PBPC mobilization. Further studies are needed, however, to determine whether addition of rituximab improves outcomes.
-
Multicenter Study
Blood use in elective surgery: the Austrian benchmark study.
Benchmarking transfusion activity may help to eliminate inappropriate use of blood products. The goal of this study was to measure and to compare the current transfusion practice and to identify predictors of transfusion in public hospitals to develop strategies to optimize transfusion practices. ⋯ This study demonstrates a high intercenter variability in RBC transfusions and RBC loss in standard surgical procedures. Whereas the variability in blood loss remains largely unexplained, the main predictors for allogeneic RBC transfusions are preoperative and nadir Hb and surgical RBC loss.
-
Continued hemorrhage remains a major cause of mortality in massively transfused patients of whom many develop coagulopathy. Reviewing transfusion practice for these patients, we found that at our hospital more than 10 percent received a suboptimal transfusion therapy and that survivors had a higher platelet count than nonsurvivors. We therefore investigated whether the blood bank could improve its service and hence improve the outcome. ⋯ The initiative from the blood bank has improved the transfusion practice and, hence, survival in massively transfused patients at our hospital.
-
Review Comparative Study
Reducing the amount of blood transfused by changing clinicians' transfusion practices.