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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2010 May 24.
Published in final edited form as: Transfusion. 2008 Jan 7;48(2):209–217. doi: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2007.01592.x

TABLE 1.

RBC transfusions for the anemia of prematurity*

Maintain > 40%–45% Hct for severe cardiopulmonary disease
Maintain > 30%–35% Hct for moderate cardiopulmonary disease
Maintain > 30%–35% Hct for major surgery
Maintain > 20%–25% Hct for infants with stable anemia,
   especially if:
   Unexplained breathing disorders
   Unexplained tachycardia
   Unexplained poor growth
*

Words in italics must be defined locally. For example, “severe” pulmonary disease may be defined as requiring mechanical ventilation with >0.35 FiO2 and “moderate” as less intensive ventilation.