Skip Navigation


Journal of Tropical Pediatrics Advance Access originally published online on December 13, 2006
Journal of Tropical Pediatrics 2007 53(2):78-82; doi:10.1093/tropej/fml062
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
53/2/78    most recent
fml062v1
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Venâncio, J. P.
Right arrow Articles by Lora, M. I.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Venâncio, J. P.
Right arrow Articles by Lora, M. I.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author [2006]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Strict Guideline Reduces the Need for RBC Transfusions in Premature Infants

Josiene Pereira Venâncioa, Amélia Miyashiro Nunes dos Santosa, Ruth Guinsburga, Clóvis de Araújo Peresb, Alexandre Ryuzo Shinzatob and Mayra Ivanoff Lorab

aDepartment of Pediatrics–Division of Neonatal Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil
bDivision of Biostatistics, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil

Correspondence: Amélia Miyashiro Nunes dos Santos, Rua Antonio Gomide, 243. São Paulo, Brazil CEP: 04071-070. E-mail < ameliamiyashiro{at}yahoo.com.br>.


  Abstract

The aim of this study was to verify if the adoption of a strict guideline would reduce the need for red blood cell transfusions in the first 28 days of life in very low birth weight preterm infants. Retrospective study of two cohorts of very low birth weight infants transfused according to neonatologist decision (Period 1) or according to a strict guideline for erythrocytes transfusion (Period 2). Clinical and hematological data of 80 premature infants transfused in both periods of the study were obtained by chart review. During the first 28 days of life, 45 (62.5%) of 72 premature infants born in the Period 1, and 44 (55.7%) of 79 newborns born in Period 2 received at least one erythrocyte transfusion; p = 0.40. Among patients transfused, the median number of transfusions was four per infant transfused (range: 1–13; mean: 4.6 ± 3.2) in Period 1 and 3 (range: 1–18; mean: 4.0 ± 3.5) in Period 2; p = 0.26. The median volume of erythrocytes administered per infant transfused in Period 1 was 40 ml kg–1 (range: 10–170; mean: 48.8 ± 38.3) and in Period 2 was 30 ml kg–1 (range: 10–225; mean: 43.4 ± 40.4), p = 0.41. Multiple linear regression analysis, after adjusting for birth weight, clinical risk index for babies, blood loss and days of ventilation, showed that the adoption of the strict guideline reduced the volume of erythrocytes transfused in 15.91 ml kg–1 per infant transfused (95% CI: –24.69–7.14) p < 0.001. The adoption of a strict guideline reduced the need for red blood cells transfusions in very low birth weight infants.

Key Words: anemia • erythrocytes transfusion • infant newborn • infant premature • red blood cells.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.