Abstract 9115: Determining Optimal Hemoglobin Transfusion Threshold for Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Multiple randomized controlled trials have found that a conservative approach to transfusing critically ill patients reduces mortality, with current guidelines recommending a hemoglobin (HgB) transfusion threshold of 7 g/dL. However, little work has examined whether this transfusion threshold reduces mortality in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Here, we present a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. Methods: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Ovid, and Web of Science. Full-text articles were eligible if patients with TBI, defined as Glasgow Coma Score <= 8, were divided into multiple groups with varying hemoglobin transfusion thresholds and reported any outcome of interest including mortality, number of packed red blood cell (PRBC) units transfused, length of stay in ICU, and length of stay in the hospital. Eight studies were eligible (n = 3663). We compared mortality rates at HgB transfusion thresholds of < 7 g/dL, < 8 g/dL, < 9 g/dL, and < 10 g/dL. Results: We found that traditionally ‘conservative’ approaches to anemia management (HgB < 7 g/dL, < 8 g/dL, and < 9 g/dL) were associated with decreased mortality when compared to traditionally ‘liberal’ approaches (HgB < 10 g/dL), with p < 0.05. Results were robust across both frequentist and Bayesian analysis. As a surrogate for cost of care and use of hospital resources, the total number of PRBC units transfused to patients, length of stay in ICU, and length of stay in hospital were analyzed. We found that using a transfusion threshold < 7 g/dL compared to < 10 g/dL substantially decreased the number of PRBC units transfused. In three of five cohorts, the cohort with the lower HgB transfusion threshold or no transfusion had a significantly shorter length of stay in the ICU and in the hospital. The remaining two cohorts found no significant difference in the length of stays in ICU or hospital. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that conservative approaches to transfusions ( < 7 g/dL, < 8 g/dL, or < 9 g/dL) significantly reduce mortality and the number of PRBC units transfused when compared to more liberal approaches ( < 10 g/dL). Current evidence is unclear on the benefits of conservative approaches in reduction of ICU or hospital length of stay.

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