Table 3.
Transfusion requirement and neonatal outcomes before and after transfusion guideline changes
| All neonates | Neonates receiving at least one RBC transfusion | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008‐2013 (n = 1079) | 2014‐2017 (n = 505) | P‐value | 2008‐2013 (n = 410) | 2014‐2017 (n = 165) | P‐value | |
| NEC | 3·7% | 5·1% | 0·181 | 5·9% | 8·5% | 0·254 |
| Proven sepsis | 24·2% | 26·3% | 0·357 | 43·7% | 44·2% | 0·917 |
| PDA | 13·2% | 12·9% | 0·874 | 27·6% | 32·7% | 0·224 |
| RDS | 37·5% | 36·4% | 0·699 | 64·1% | 62·4% | 0·754 |
| Severe IVH (grade 3/4) | 7·6% | 3·2% | 0·000 | 15·1% | 4·8% | 0·001 |
| Cystic PVL (≥ grade 2) | 1·0% | 1·6% | 0·337 | 2·0% | 3·0% | 0·431 |
| Mortality | 8·1% | 5·5% | 0·072 | 12·2% | 7·3% | 0·084 |
| Hospitalization, median number of days (IQR) | 12 (5–27) | 14 (7–32) | 0·001 | 29 (18–42) | 41 (21–56) | <0·001 |
| Receiving a RBC transfusion | 37·5% | 32·7% | 0·040 | 100% | 100% | ‐ |
| Number of transfusions per neonate | 1·11 (± 1·99) | 0·72 (± 1·27) | 0·009 | 2·93 (± 2·26) | 2·20 (± 1·29) | 0·007 |
| Number of transfusions per 100 days admission, mean | 5·3 (± 12·4) | 2·7 (± 7·4) | <0·001 | 13·9 (± 16·9) | 8·2 (± 11·0) | <0·001 |