Methods |
Randomised clinical trial |
Participants |
Adult participants who underwent a major surgical procedure for abdominal cancer and required postoperative care in the ICU
|
Interventions |
While in the ICU, the liberal transfusion group received transfusion when Hg < 9 g/dL, and the restrictive transfusion group received transfusion when Hg < 7 g/dL. |
Outcomes |
The primary outcome was a composite of all‐cause mortality or severe clinical complications within 30 days. Severe clinical complications included major cardiovascular complications, septic shock, acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy, ARDS, and reoperation. |
Notes |
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Risk of bias |
Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Low risk |
The chief statistician ensured random sequence generation. |
Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Low risk |
The trial used opaque envelopes that were opened sequentially. |
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Clinicians or participants were not blinded. |
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
The participants and the study investigators who classified outcomes and those who conducted the follow‐up telephone assessments were blinded to the study‐group assignments and had no access to transfusion data. |
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
No attrition bias was apparent. |
Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Low risk |
No reporting bias was apparent. |
Other bias |
Low risk |
No other biases identified. |