Table 2. Characteristics During Intensive Care Unit Stay.
| Variable | Transfusion (n = 894)a | No transfusion (n = 2749)a |
|---|---|---|
| Daily forms | 4 (3-9) | 3 (2-5) |
| Mean daily blood loss, mL | 82 (0-275) | 0 (0-46) |
| Median SOFA score during ICU stayb | 5 (2.5-7.85) | 3 (1.40-5.33) |
| Invasive mechanical ventilation during ICU stay | 537 (60.1) | 980 (35.6) |
| Kidney replacement therapy during ICU stay | 142 (15.9) | 149 (5.4) |
| Newly developed complications during ICU stay | ||
| Acute kidney injury | 260 (29.1) | 351 (12.8) |
| Sepsis | 257 (28.7) | 495 (18.0) |
| ARDS | 141 (15.8) | 370 (13.5) |
| Gastrointestinal bleed | 114 (12.8) | 45 (2) |
| Failure to wean | 104 (11.6) | 117 (4.3) |
| Acute coronary syndrome | 95 (10.6) | 223 (8.1) |
| Liver failure | 86 (10) | 80 (2.9) |
| Cerebrovascular event | 62 (7) | 222 (8.1) |
| Bone marrow failure | 27 (3) | 13 (<1) |
| Retinal hemorrhage | 6 (<1) | 4 (<1) |
| Admission laboratory values | ||
| Hb level, g/dL | 10.0 (2.7) | 12.5 (2.3) |
| Anemiac | ||
| Male | 385/543 (70.9) | 708/1724 (41.1) |
| Female | 238/351 (67.8) | 415/1025 (40.5) |
| Platelet count, ×109/L | 205 (133-283) | 227 (170-291) |
| Laboratory values during ICU stay | ||
| Mean Hb level during ICU stay | 8.7 (1.4) | 11.4 (2.0) |
| Nadir Hb | 7.6 (1.6) | 10.8 (2.1) |
| Anemia during ICU stayc | 882/891 (99.0) | 2162/2697 (80.2) |
| Received RBC | 894 (100) | 0 |
| No. of RBC units transfused, total during ICU stay | 2 (1-4) | |
| No. of RBC units transfused per transfused dayd | 1 (1-1.5) | |
| No. of RBC units per ICU daye | 0.5 (0.25-1) | |
| No. of RBC transfusion events | 2 (1-4) | |
| Received platelet transfusion | 163 (18.2) | 45 (2) |
| Received plasma transfusion | 254 (28.4) | 83 (3) |
| Received massive transfusion protocol | 34 (4) | 0 (0) |
| Received coagulation product | 147 (16.4) | 61 (2) |
| Use of VHA, No. of patients | 91 (10) | 53 (2) |
| EPO administered | 35 (4) | 43 (2) |
Abbreviations: ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; EPO, erythropoietin; Hb, hemoglobin; ICU, intensive care unit; RBC, red blood cell; SOFA, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment; VHA, viscoelastic hemostatic assay.
Presented as No. (%) for frequency data, median (shown first-third quartile borders) for nonparametric, and mean (SD) for parametric numerical variables.
The SOFA score is a measure that reflects the course of in-ICU organ dysfunction, expressed by a 0-24 range, in which severe organ dysfunction is reflected by a higher score.
Anemia defined as <12 g/dL for females and <13 g/dL for males, according to the definition by the World Health Organization.
Calculated as the sum of RBC transfused divided by the days a transfusion was administered per patient.
Calculated as the sum of RBC transfused divided by the ICU length of stay.