Changes in Transfusion Practice in Children and Adolescents over Time

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Hematology
• Transfusion Medicine
• Public Health Data Analysis

Background:

• Adult transfusion practices show resource-saving trends and reduced rates.
• Limited national data exists on pediatric transfusion practices.
• This study analyzes transfusion rates in German children and adolescents over two decades.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze transfusion rates in pediatric patients in Germany from 2005 to 2018.
• To identify trends and variations in transfusion practices across different age groups within the pediatric population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis) for inpatient care from 2005-2018.
• Included children and adolescents aged 0-17 years.
• Analyzed Operation and Procedure Codes (OPS) for transfusions and high-risk procedures.

Main Results:

• Overall pediatric transfusion rate decreased from 1.02% in 2005 to 0.9% in 2018.
• Transfusion rates increased in 1-4 year olds (1.41-1.45%) and 5-10 year olds (1.24-1.33%).
• Infants under 1 year had the highest transfusion rates (40.2% in 2018), with rising associated procedures like chemotherapy and respiratory support.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric transfusion rates are generally declining, but with notable increases in specific age groups.
• The reasons for increased transfusion rates in certain pediatric subgroups remain unclear.
• Prospective studies are essential to investigate transfusion rates and triggers in children.