Table 1. Perinatal and Transfusion Characteristics (N = 101).
| Variable | No. (%) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| All participants (n = 101) | High-threshold group (n = 65) | Low-threshold group (n = 36) | |
| Perinatal characteristic | |||
| Maternal racial or ethnic groupa | |||
| Asian | 3 (3) | 1 (2) | 2 (6) |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 26 (26) | 21 (32) | 5 (14) |
| Hispanic | 40 (40) | 24 (37) | 16 (44) |
| Non-Hispanic White | 24 (24) | 14 (22) | 10 (28) |
| Otherb | 8 (8) | 5 (8) | 3 (8) |
| Antenatal steroids | 92 (91) | 60 (92) | 32 (89) |
| Cesarean delivery | 76 (75) | 47 (72) | 29 (81) |
| Inbornc | 93 (92) | 59 (91) | 34 (94) |
| Gestational age, mean (SD), wk | 26 (1.5) | 25.9 (1.5) | 25.9 (1.4) |
| Small for gestational age | 14 (14) | 9 (14) | 5 (14) |
| Birth weight, mean (SD), g | 766 (149) | 768 (159) | 761 (131) |
| Head circumference at birth, mean (SD), cmd | 22.9 (1.8) | 22.8 (2.0) | 23.0 (1.5) |
| Sex | |||
| Female | 56 (55) | 35 (54) | 21 (58) |
| Male | 45 (45) | 30 (46) | 15 (43) |
| Delayed cord clamping | 28 (28) | 18 (28) | 10 (29) |
| Umbilical cord milking | 6 (6) | 5 (8) | 1 (3) |
| Delivery room resuscitation | |||
| Intubation | 62 (61) | 41 (63) | 21 (58) |
| Chest compressions | 5 (5) | 3 (5) | 2 (6) |
| Epinephrine | 4 (4) | 2 (3) | 2 (6) |
| 5-min Apgar score ≤5 | 21 (21) | 14 (22) | 7 (19) |
| SNAPPE score, mean (SD)e | 49.0 (20.4) | 49.6 (20.4) | 48.0 (20.7) |
| RBC transfusion characteristics | |||
| Pretransfusion hemoglobin, mean (SE), g/dLf | 10.4 (0.1) | 11.0 (0.1) | 9.0 (0.2) |
| Transfused in first week | 53 (52) | 31 (48) | 22 (61) |
| RBC transfusions per individual, mean (SD) | 2.3 (2.2) | 2.5 (2.4) | 2.0 (1.9) |
| Transfusion-specific properties, total countg | 232 | 160 | 72 |
| Enteral feeding during transfusion | 80 (34) | 57 (36) | 23 (32) |
| Hypocarbia (pCO2 < 40 mm Hg) at transfusionh | 11 (6) | 8 (6) | 3 (5) |
| Concurrent medications at transfusion | |||
| Pressor supporti | 15 (6) | 11 (7) | 4 (6) |
| Indomethacin | 6 (3) | 4 (3) | 2 (3) |
| Steroids | 6 (3) | 2 (1) | 4 (6) |
| Respiratory support (primary mode) during transfusion | |||
| High-frequency ventilation | 21 (9) | 17 (11) | 4 (6) |
| Conventional ventilation | 37 (16) | 25 (16) | 12 (17) |
| Nasal SIMV/SiPAP/NIPPV | 6 (3) | 2 (1) | 4 (6) |
| CPAP/high-flow nasal cannula | 16 (7) | 13 (8) | 3 (4) |
| Nasal cannula/hood | 1 (0) | 1 (1) | 0 |
| No respiratory support | 151 (65) | 102 (64) | 49 (68) |
Abbreviations: CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; NIPPV, nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation; pCO2, partial pressure of carbon dioxide; RBC, red blood cell; SIMV, synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation; SiPAP synchronized inspiratory positive airway pressure; SNAPPE, score for neonatal acute physiology—perinatal extension.
Race and ethnicity data were collected via self-report and included to characterize the patient population for generalizability of findings.
Other racial or ethnic group included American Indian or Alaska Native and more than 1 race reported. These groups were consolidated owing to small numbers.
Defined as born at a center participating in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network.
One infant missing head circumference.
SNAPPE score not calculated for 6 infants.
Adjusted for clustering of hemoglobin values within infant and shown as mean (SE) with P < .001 between high- and low-threshold groups.
During transfusion event with near-infrared spectroscopy monitoring.
Hypocarbia detected during blood-gas assessment during a transfusion.
Includes dopamine, dobutamine, epinephrine, or milrinone use at time of transfusion.