[Effects of perioperative blood transfusion on the severity of postoperative infection]

This study was purposed to explore whether the blood transfusion of surgical patients can increase the severity of postoperative infection by a retrospective analysis of patients with postoperative infection in Chinese PLA General Hospital. By using a software "clinical transfusion database" developed by our department, 150 infected surgical cases were retrieved and divided into deep infection group and superficial infection group according to the infected location. These two groups were compared in term of the patient's age, duration of hospitalization, red blood cell transfusion volume, none-red cell transfusion volume, transfusion frequency and average transfusion volume. The results showed that red blood cell transfusion volume or none-red cells transfusion volume of patients with superficial infection was 4.50 (0 - 59) U or 2.95 (0 - 119.6) U, and that of deep infection was 9.00 (0 - 153) U and 8.05 (0 - 136.6) U, the differences was significant (P < 0.05). Between two groups, the transfusion frequency showed the most significant difference, median in the patients with superficial infection was about 2 (1 - 31) times, less than the deep infection group about 4 (1 - 49) times (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between two groups in the average transfusion volume. It is concluded that perioperative blood transfusion volume and frequency of surgical patients seems to display a positive correlation with the degree of postoperative infection.