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Updated: Aug 13, 2025
A Precision Medicine Tool for Measurement and Monitoring of Hemoglobin S in Sickle Cell Disease Patients Receiving Transfusion Therapy
How do the threshold values used in the decision on red blood cell and platelet transfusions comply with the
Begum Sirin Koc1, Funda Tekkesin1, Ulku Miray Yildirim1
1Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of Health Sciences, Umraniye Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkiye.
Objective:
Blood transfusion is life-saving medical practice with significant risks. National and international guidelines have been established for indications related to blood use and threshold values for transfusions. In this study, we aimed to determine the erythrocyte and thrombocyte transfusion rates in surgical, internal, and emergency clinics in our hospital and to compare the threshold values before erythrocyte and platelet (PLT) transfusion among the clinics.
Methods:
Red blood cell (RBC) and PLT transfusions in our hospital between January 2019 and June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinics were divided into three groups: surgical clinics, internal clinics, and emergency clinic. Demographic characteristics, pre-transfusion hemoglobin (Hb), and PLT values of patients were recorded. Data were analyzed statistically.
Results:
During the 6-month study period, 5179 patients were transfused in 24,924 patients and the transfusion rate was 21%. In this period, a total of 14,518 units of blood products including 8369 units RBC suspension and 1390 units PLT suspension were transfused. The mean age of the patient was 50.32±28.88 years and the female/male ratio was 1.11. The most RBC transfusions were performed in the general internal medicine service in internal clinics and gynecology in surgical clinics. The most PLT transfusions were performed in the general medicine service in internal clinics and pediatric cardiovascular surgery in surgical clinics. ES transfusions were performed in the emergency medicine clinic with the lowest mean Hb value (Hb: 8.07±1.84 g/dl) and in the surgical clinics with the highest mean Hb value (Hb: 9.29±1.46 g/dl). TS transfusions were performed in internal clinics with the lowest mean PLT value (PLT: 44030±44075/mm3), while the highest mean PLT value (PLT: 97140±75782/mm3) was performed in surgical clinics.
Conclusion:
It was observed that threshold values in particular for PLT transfusions in our hospital were above the guideline recommendations. Our results suggest that the knowledge level of physicians about transfusion limits and practices should be increased.
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