Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 22, 2026
A Precision Medicine Tool for Measurement and Monitoring of Hemoglobin S in Sickle Cell Disease Patients Receiving Transfusion Therapy
Age of Red Cells for Transfusion and Outcomes in Critically Ill Adults
D James Cooper1, Zoe K McQuilten1, Alistair Nichol1
1From the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Research Centre, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University (D.J.C., Z.K.M., A.N., B.A., C.A., M.B., R.B., D.G., K.-M.K., L.M., C.F.), the Department of Intensive Care, Alfred Hospital (D.J.C., A.N., D.G.), the Department of Haematology, Monash Health (Z.K.M.), the Department of Intensive Care, Austin Hospital (R.B.), the University of Melbourne (R.B., C.F.), Research and Development, Australian Red Cross Blood Service (D.O.I.), and the Department of Intensive Care, Western Health (C.F.) - all in Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Irish Critical Care Clinical Trials Network, University College Dublin Clinical Research Centre at St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin (A.N.); the Département de Médecine Intensive Réanimation, Brest University Hospital, Brest, France (C.A.); the Department of Anesthesiology (K.-M.K.) and the Division of Intensive Care, Department of Anesthesiology (V.P.), Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki; and the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand and the Department of Critical Care Medicine, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand (C.M.).
Background:
It is uncertain whether the duration of red-cell storage affects mortality after transfusion among critically ill adults.
Methods:
In an international, multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial, we assigned critically ill adults to receive either the freshest available, compatible, allogeneic red cells (short-term storage group) or standard-issue (oldest available), compatible, allogeneic red cells (long-term storage group). The primary outcome was 90-day mortality.
Results:
From November 2012 through December 2016, at 59 centers in five countries, 4994 patients underwent randomization and 4919 (98.5%) were included in the primary analysis. Among the 2457 patients in the short-term storage group, the mean storage duration was 11.8 days. Among the 2462 patients in the long-term storage group, the mean storage duration was 22.4 days. At 90 days, there were 610 deaths (24.8%) in the short-term storage group and 594 (24.1%) in the long-term storage group (absolute risk difference, 0.7 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.7 to 3.1; P=0.57). At 180 days, the absolute risk difference was 0.4 percentage points (95% CI, -2.1 to 3.0; P=0.75). Most of the prespecified secondary measures showed no significant between-group differences in outcome.
Conclusions:
The age of transfused red cells did not affect 90-day mortality among critically ill adults. (Funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and others; TRANSFUSE Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number, ACTRN12612000453886 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01638416 .).
More Related Videos
05:23Continuous Manual Exchange Transfusion for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: An Efficient Method to Avoid Iron Overload
Published on: March 14, 2017
11:31Antigens Protected Functional Red Blood Cells By The Membrane Grafting Of Compact Hyperbranched Polyglycerols
Published on: January 2, 2013
Related Concept Videos
02:45Blood Transfusion and Agglutination
History
The history of blood transfusion dates back to the 17th century, when early attempts were made in animals. In 1818 James Blundell, a British doctor, performed the first successful human blood transfusion. Later in 1900, Karl...
01:15Blood Transfusion
Blood Transfusion Overview
A blood transfusion is a medical procedure used to replace blood lost due to injury, surgery, or to treat conditions such as anemia or cancer. During a transfusion, donor blood is...
01:14Erythropoiesis
01:22Bone Marrow Sampling and Transplants
The transplant begins with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which aim to destroy...
01:24Factors Affecting Erythropoiesis
Several factors influence the erythrocyte production rate, with tissue oxygen level being among the most critical. Intense exercise or high altitudes can cause tissue hypoxia, which triggers the kidneys to release more erythropoietin (EPO) into the bloodstream.
EPO then...
01:27Disorders of Erythrocytes
Erythrocyte disorders can be broadly categorized into two main types: anemic and polycythemic conditions.
A low oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood due to the loss, lower production, or destruction of erythrocytes is termed anemia. Hemorrhagic anemia, for example, occurs when bleeding from an external wound or internal ulcer reduces erythrocyte counts.
On the other...