Transfusion
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Surveys are a common tool used to gather information about practices across many medical specialties. The quality of survey reporting impacts the strength of any conclusions. Thorough and accurate reporting of survey-based research is critical for evaluation of the validity, reliability, and generalizability of the results. The objective of this study was to appraise the quality of recently reported surveys in transfusion medicine (TM). ⋯ Our findings document quality deficiencies in the reporting of research conducted using surveys in TM. Validated guidelines for the reporting of survey-based clinical research should be developed and applied to improve the quality of survey reporting in TM.
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Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is a lifesaving process for patients with perioperative bleeding, but transfusion can cause adverse events. Effective utilization and management of blood products as a limited resource is essential when considering cost-efficiency and patient safety. ⋯ Continuous management for blood preparation and transfusion is needed for efficient utilization of blood. Periodic investigation on the use of blood products through nationwide studies could suggest data applicable to blood product preparation for various elective surgical operations.
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Blood transfusion can be lifesaving for patients with hemorrhage; however, transfusion requirements for victims of gun violence are poorly understood. ⋯ Compared to other traumatic injuries, GSW injuries are associated with substantially greater blood utilization and mortality. Trauma centers treating GSW injuries should have ready access to all blood components and ability to implement massive transfusions.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of automated and manual methods for washing red blood cells.
We sought to compare the quality of washed red blood cells (RBCs) produced using the ACP215 device or manual methods with different combinations of wash and storage solutions. Our aim was to establish manual methods of washing that would permit a shelf life of more than 24 hours. ⋯ The data suggest that the shelf life of manually washed RBCs could be extended to 14 days if stored in SAGM instead of saline.
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Early identification of acute traumatic coagulopathy is a key challenge during initial management to determine whether to initiate early hemostatic support. We assessed the performance of prothrombin time (PT) at point-of-care in trauma patients to detect moderate and severe coagulopathy on admission. ⋯ The PT point-of-care device is reliable and accurate for the early identification of coagulopathic trauma patients.