Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026
Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published on: January 7, 2020
Recent advances in transfusions in neonates/infants
Ruchika Goel1, Cassandra D Josephson2
1Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Pathology and Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Insights
Neonatal transfusions for red blood cells (RBCs), platelets, and plasma are vital. Emerging evidence guides these critical practices, aiming for personalized medicine in neonatal intensive care units.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Transfusion Medicine
- Neonatal Intensive Care
- Hematology
Background:
- Neonates, especially preterm infants, are the most transfused patient group.
- Historically, a gap existed between blood product use and evidence-based guidelines in neonates.
- Pediatric transfusion medicine is advancing with new evidence, technologies, and collaborative research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize current evidence-based practices for blood component therapy in neonates.
- To provide data on red blood cell (RBC), plasma, and platelet transfusions.
- To discuss transfusion thresholds, guidelines, and knowledge gaps in neonatal transfusion medicine.
Main Methods:
- Review of current evidence-based practices for neonatal blood component therapy.
- Analysis of data on RBC, plasma, and platelet utilization.
- Discussion of established and evolving transfusion triggers and thresholds.
Main Results:
- Evidence is accumulating for red blood cell transfusion triggers and thresholds.
- Ongoing trials are expected to yield high-quality data for platelet and plasma transfusions.
- Defining specific cutoff values for anemia, thrombocytopenia, and coagulation abnormalities in neonates remains challenging.
Conclusions:
- Personalized medicine approaches are crucial for neonatal transfusion decisions.
- A strong evidence base is essential for guiding neonatal transfusion practices.
- Addressing research knowledge gaps is vital for advancing neonatal transfusion medicine.
Abstract:
Transfusions of red blood cells (RBCs), platelets, and plasma are critical therapies for infants and neonates (particularly preterm neonates) in the neonatal intensive care unit, who are the most frequently transfused subpopulation across all ages. Although traditionally a significant gap has existed between the blood utilization and the evidence base essential to adequately guide transfusion practices in infants and neonates, pediatric transfusion medicine is evolving from infancy and gradually coming of age. It is entering an exciting era with recognition as an independent discipline, a new and evolving high-quality evidence base for transfusion practices, novel technologies and therapeutics, and national/international collaborative research, educational, and clinical efforts. Triggers and thresholds for red cell transfusion are accumulating evidence with current phase III clinical trials. Ongoing trials and studies of platelet and plasma transfusions in neonates are anticipated to provide high-quality evidence in years to come. This article aims to summarize the most current evidence-based practices regarding blood component therapy in neonates. Data on the use of specific components (RBCs, plasma, and platelets) are provided. We attempt to define thresholds for anemia, thrombocytopenia, and abnormal coagulation profile in neonates to highlight the difficulties in having a specific cutoff value in neonates and preterm infants. Indications for transfusion of specific products, transfusion thresholds, and current practices and guidelines are provided, and possible adverse outcomes and complications are discussed. Finally, the critical research knowledge gaps in these practices as well as ongoing and future research areas are discussed. In an era of personalized medicine, neonatal transfusion decisions guided by a strong evidence base must be the overarching goal, and this underlies all of the strategic initiatives in pediatric and neonatal transfusion research highlighted in this article.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
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...
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...
01:29Drug Dosing: Infants and Children
02:22Overview of Advanced Functional Groups
Functional groups are groups of atoms with specific chemical properties that occur within organic molecules and are sometimes denoted as “R”. Functional groups can “functionalize” a compound by enabling it to adopt different physical and chemical properties.
Types of Advanced Functional Groups
The table below summarizes some of the major functional groups in organic chemistry.
00:56Extraction: Advanced Methods
01:08Sample Preparation for Analysis: Advanced Techniques
Acid digestion with strong acids is commonly used to dissolve inorganic materials that are insoluble (do not dissolve) in water. This method can be useful for...