Table 2.
Description of red blood cells transfusion strategies or hemoglobin levels compared in included studies
| Severity of the disease | Exposure | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study | Groups | Age (years) a | GCS a | P value | ISS a | P value | Mean baseline Hb (g/dl) | P value | Mandatory RBCT protocol | RBCT strategy | Patients transfused (%) | Hb achieved (g/dl) a | P value |
| McIntyre et al. (2006) |
Liberal (n = 38) |
39.8 ± 18.1 | 7.5 ± 3.6 | NR | 31.3 ± 13.0 | NR | NR | Yes | Threshold 10 g/dl Target range 10-12 g/dl |
38 (100) | 10.5 ± 0.6 | < 0.0001 | |
| Restrictive (n = 29) |
41.7 ± 20.4 | 7.3 ± 3.4 | 29.8 ± 14.0 | Threshold 7 g/dl Target range 7-9 g/dl |
17 (59) | 8.5 ± 0.7 | |||||||
| Flückiger et al. (2006) |
Higher Hb (n = 102) |
NR | NR | 28.65 | NR | 12.4 | NR | No | Hb ≥9.3 g/dl by the end of OR phase | 31 (30) | 11.1 | NR | |
| Lower Hb (n = 37) |
32.70 | 10.4 | Hb < 9.3 g/dl by the end of OR phase | 32 (86) | 8.4 | ||||||||
| Lacroix et al. (2007) |
Liberal (n = 36) |
5.5 ± 5.1 | NR | NR | 8.2 ± 0.9 | NR | Yes | Threshold 9.5 g/dl Target range 11-12 g/dl |
35 (97) | 10.6 ± 1.0 | < 0.0001 | ||
| Restrictive (n = 30) |
5.2 ± 4.7 | 7.7 ± 1.0 | Threshold 7 g/dl Target range 8.5-9.5 g/dl |
20 (67) | 8.9 ± 1.0 | ||||||||
| George et al. (2008) |
Higher Hb (n = 43) |
54.6 ± 23.9 | 4.2 ± 1.7 | 0.013 | 25.0 ± 3.3 | 0.12 | NR | No | Received at least 1 RBCT when Hb was between 8 and 10 g/dl | 43 (100) | NR | ||
| Lower Hb (n = 39) |
52.6 ± 19.5 | 5.5 ± 2.4 | 23.5 ± 4.5 | Did not receive RBCT when Hb was between 8 and 10 g/dl | 0 (0) | ||||||||
| Warner et al. (2010) |
Higher Hb (n = 76) |
39.8 ± 19.3 | 7.1 ± 5.0 | 0.007 | 29.8 ± 10.7 | 0.085 | 30.0 ± 3.9 | 0.663 | No | Received at least 1 RBCT when Hb was between 7 and 10 g/dl | 76 (100) | NR | |
| Lower Hb (n = 63) |
40.9 ± 20.6 | 9.7 ± 5.1 | 26.5 ± 9.1 | 29.8 ± 6.8 | Did not receive RBCT when Hb was between 7 and 10 g/dl | 0 (0) | |||||||
| Naidech et al. (2010) |
Higher Hb (n = 21) |
54.1 ± 14.9 | NR | NR | 13.4 | NR | Yes | Threshold 11.5 g/dl | 20 (95) | 12.3 ± 0.3 | < 0.0001 | ||
| Lower Hb (n = 23) |
59.2 ± 11.9 | 13.1 | Threshold 10 g/dl | 19 (82) | 11.1 ± 0.4 | ||||||||
GCS Glasgow Coma Scale; Hb hemoglobin concentration; ISS injury severity score; NR not reported; OR operating room; RBCT red blood cell transfusion. aMean ± standard deviation.