Arch Surg Chicago
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Multicenter Study
Blood transfusion increases the risk of infection after trauma.
To determine whether blood transfusion influences infection after trauma, we analyzed data on 5366 consecutive patients hospitalized for more than 2 days at eight hospitals over a 2-year period. The incidence of infection was significantly related to the mechanism of injury: penetrating injuries, 8.9%; blunt injuries, 12.9%; and low falls, 21.4%. ⋯ Blood transfusion in the injured patients is an important independent statistical predictor of infection. Its contribution cannot be attributed to age, sex, or the underlying mechanism of severity of injury.