[Does red blood cell storage time still influence ICU survival?]

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Critical Care Medicine
• Transfusion Medicine

Context:

• Aged packed red blood cells (RBCs) may negatively impact ICU patient outcomes.
• Leukodepletion of RBCs may mitigate storage lesion effects.
• Understanding the impact of aged leukodepleted-RBCs is crucial for optimizing patient care.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the impact of aged leukodepleted-RBC transfusion on ICU patient outcomes.
• To determine if RBC storage duration influences mortality in critically ill patients.

Summary:

• This retrospective observational study analyzed 534 ICU patients, finding an overall mortality of 26.6%.
• While the number of RBC units transfused was higher in non-survivors, the storage age of RBCs (<21 days) did not significantly differ between survivor and non-survivor groups.
• Multivariate analysis identified the number of RBC units transfused and ICU length of stay as independent predictors of mortality.

Impact:

• The study suggests that the volume of RBCs transfused, rather than their age, is independently associated with ICU outcomes.
• Findings indicate that optimizing transfusion strategies based on the number of RBC units may be more critical than focusing solely on storage duration.
• This research contributes to evidence-based transfusion practices in critical care settings.