4. Review secondary outcome‐red blood cell transfusion.
| Study | No. of participants received RBC transfusion during the study period | Mean no. RBC units transfusions/participant during study period | Number of participant‐days with RBC transfusions | Proportion of participant‐days with RBC transfusions | Mean Hb within first +100 days: | Number of RBC units per transfusion |
Interval between RBC transfusions (mean) (days) |
| RCTs | |||||||
| De Zern 2016 |
Restrictive: 57/59 Liberal: 30/30 |
Restrictive: mean 8.2 (SD 4.2) Liberal: mean 11.3 (SD 5.4) |
NR | NR |
Restrictive: mean 33.6 (SD 1.4) Liberal: mean 33.2 (SD 2.0) |
NR | NR |
| Robitaille 2013 |
Restrictive: 3/3 Liberal: 3/3 |
Restrictive: (mean 1.3 [SD 0.58]; median 1 [range 1 to 2; SE 0.33]) Liberal: (mean 8.7 [SD 5.5]; median 9 [range 3 to 14; SE 3.2]) |
NR | NR |
Restrictive: [mean pre transfusion Hb 69 g/L (range 69 g/L to 70 g/L) no SD] Liberal: [mean pre transfusion Hb 106 g/L (range 118 g/L to 132 g/L) no SD] |
NR | NR |
| Webert 2008 |
Restrictive: 26/29 (24/29 from when Hb ≥80 g/L) Liberal: 29/31 (28/28 from when Hb ≥ 120g/L) |
NR |
Restrictive: 75 (70/467 days of observation once reached target Hb) Liberal: 113 g/L (72/410 days of observation once reached target Hb) |
Restrictive: 0.151 (0.150 after study Hb threshold reached) Liberal: 0.233 (0.176 after study Hb threshold reached) [RR 1.56; 95% CI 1.16 to 2.10] [RR 1.18: 95% CI 0.90 to 1.54; once study Hb threshold reached]a |
NR | NR | NR |
| NRS | |||||||
| Jansen 2004 | NR |
Restrictive: mean 9.6 (SD 3.9); Median 9 (SE 0.6); Range 3 to 21 Liberal: mean 10.8 (SD 2.9); Median 11.0 (SE 0.4); Range 6 to 21 |
NR | NR |
Restrictive: Age < 25 Hb 7.5 (n = 3); 25‐50 yrs Hb 8.0 (n = 22); Age 50‐70 years Hb 8.3 (n = 13) Liberal: Age < 25 years Hb 8.8 (n = 3); 25‐50 years Hb 9.3 (n = 32); 50‐70 years Hb 9.5 (n = 11) |
Restrictive: Mean 1.3 (SD 0.5); Median 1.0 (SE 0.03); range 1‐4 Liberal: Mean 1.82 (SD 0.4); Median 2 (SE 0.03); Range 1‐5 |
Restrictive: 3.1 days (No SD) Liberal: 3 days (No SD) |
CI = confidence interval Hb = haemoglobin RBC = red blood cell RR ‐ risk ratio SD = standard deviation SE = standard error
Trial HB: Restrictive ≥ 80g/L and Liberal ≥ 120g/L
aData analysed by study authors, reported as relative risks derived from adjusted Cox regression models, allowing for repeated measures.