Red cell requisition and utilization pattern in a tertiary care hospital of South India

The equilibrium between supply and demand for red blood cells is increasing unpredictably in many countries. An understanding of trends in blood usage profile and current usage can help predict future trends in demand and to put efforts to reduce use in particular areas. This study helps in analyzing the pattern of red blood cell utilization in a tertiary care hospital.

This retrospective study was conducted in a blood bank, tertiary care hospital over a period of 6 months. All the requests coming to blood bank with information regarding patient's demographic details, diagnosis and indication for transfusion, type of request, blood transfused or returned were collected and reviewed. Crossmatch transfusion (CT) ratio, transfusion index (TI), and transfusion probability were also calculated.

A total of 10,364 patients (20,399 requests) utilized total 32,608 units of blood and its components, out of those 14,195 units of packed red cells units were utilized. March month had maximum number of requests and utilization. Most of the requests for blood were from the inpatients (wards) and were requested and utilized in the age group of 21-30 years with male predominance. Patients in the division of medicine utilized most blood. Although the division of surgery requested most of the blood, on an average, they utilized only one-third of the requested product. Overall, anemia was the most common indication for red cell utilization. In surgical group, spine surgery had a maximum CT ratio. Neurosurgery and hand surgery had the lowest TI in all specialties. Hand surgery and spine surgery had a lowest transfusion probability. Overall, utilization rate in our study was 59.8%.

A regular review of blood unit's usage is very important to estimate the blood utilization pattern in any hospital. Profile of blood utilization will act as indicator for quality management of blood bank.