Vox sanguinis
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Irradiation of fresh whole blood for prevention of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease does not impair platelet function and clinical hemostasis after open heart surgery.
Since our previous studies suggested that the transfusion of 1 unit fresh whole blood (FWB) after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) using a bubble oxygenator may provide hemostatic benefit equivalent to 8-10 units of platelet concentrates, we have routinely used FWB at the termination of CPB. Two patients who received FWB and developed transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD) prompted us to investigate the effect of irradiation of FWB on platelet and clinical hemostasis. Twenty-four patients were randomized to receive either 1 unit FWB (12 patients), or 1 unit irradiated FWB (IrFWB, 1,500 cGy,12 patients) after CPB. ⋯ Platelet aggregation was similar after transfusion of FWB (3.0 +/- 1.0) and after IrFWB (3.2 +/- 0.8), as was the increase in platelet count. Twenty-four hours total postoperative bleeding was similar (560 +/- 420 and 523 +/- 236 ml for FWB and IrFWB, respectively). We conclude that irradiation of FWB for prevention of TA-GVHD does not impair platelet aggregating capacity, and can be used when blood is donated by the patient's next of kin.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Feasibility of a predeposit autologous blood donation program in colorectal cancer patients: results from a randomized clinical study.
The hematologic and transfusion data of a multicenter randomized trial investigating the effect of blood transfusions on the 5-year survival were used to study the feasibility of an autologous blood donation program in colorectal cancer patients. Three hundred and ten patients were randomized for autologous blood transfusions (predeposition of 2 units) or homologous blood transfusions, and transfusion rules were standardized. The Hb level in the patients who donated blood decreased by 20.1 +/- 1.3 g/l (mean +/- SEM) preoperatively and 4.5 +/- 1.8 g/l postoperatively, and in controls 3.7 +/- 1.1 g/l and 16.5 +/- 1.9 g/l (significantly different between the two groups, both pre- and postoperatively: p less than 0.01). ⋯ In patients with a right-sided colon carcinoma, 22% of the control patients needed homologous blood, compared to 10% of the autologous patients. In patients with other colon carcinomas, this was 52 and 16%, respectively, and in patients with a rectal carcinoma 85 and 41%. We conclude that predeposition of 2 units of blood for colorectal cancer surgery is feasible and useful to prevent homologous blood usage in a significant number of patients with left colon carcinoma or rectal carcinoma.