CLINICAL NEWS
RBC are mostly uncontrolled and
observational, Dr. Alexander and
colleagues noted.
In this meta-analysis, the
authors searched the literature for
randomized clinical trials enrolling patients who were transfused
with fresher versus older RBCs
and reported on outcomes of
death, AEs, and infection.
They identified 12 trials, which
enrolled a total of 5,229 participants: six of these compared
fresher RBCs with older RBCs,
and the other six compared fresher
RBCs with current standard practice. The definitions of “fresher”
and “older” RBCs varied by study.
Patients enrolled in these 12 trials
were of varying ages with a range
of medical and surgical conditions. Three of these trials enrolled
neonates and infants, one included
patients ≥12 years old, and the
remainder enrolled adults. Most
trials enrolled patients experiencing acute critical illness and/or
surgical hemorrhage.
“We found no benefit when
fresher red blood cells were
transfused as opposed to older/
standard-issue red blood cells f