Transfusion
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More than 90 percent of extremely low-birth-weight infants receive one or more transfusions of red blood cells (RBCs). The objective was to assess if RBC transfusions may induce significant changes of plasma acid-base, electrolyte, and glucose status in extremely preterm infants. ⋯ RBC transfusions were effective in correcting anemia in our patients and induced a slight increase of pH and pO(2) and decrease of Ca(2+) and glycemia, which were not clinically relevant. A linear direct correlation was observed between potassium intake by RBC transfusions and changes of kalemia in our infants, but there was not an increase of K(+) plasma level after transfusions.