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Blood product usage and factors associated with transfusions in cats with hemoperitoneum: 33 cases (2018-2022)
Nicole Bunnell1, April Blong2, Debosmita Kundu2
1Las Vegas Veterinary Specialty Center, Las Vegas, NV, United States.
Insights
Blood product transfusions are common in cats with hemoperitoneum, often necessary for survival. Diagnostic tests did not predict transfusion needs, but transfusions improved survival rates in these feline patients.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- Emergency and Critical Care
Background:
- Hemoperitoneum in cats is a serious condition requiring careful management.
- Blood product transfusions are a critical supportive therapy for cats with hemoperitoneum.
- Understanding factors influencing transfusion and outcomes is vital for improving patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate blood product usage in cats diagnosed with hemoperitoneum.
- To identify factors associated with the administration of blood transfusions.
- To determine the impact of transfusions on the survival of cats with hemoperitoneum.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study conducted from 2018 to 2022 at a university veterinary teaching hospital and a private practice.
- Reviewed medical records of 33 cats diagnosed with hemoperitoneum.
- Collected data on signalment, point-of-care diagnostics, effusion characteristics, and transfusion administration.
Main Results:
- Neoplasia was the most common etiology (51.5%).
- Over half of the cats (51.5%) received at least one blood transfusion, with many receiving multiple types.
- Neither the etiology of hemoperitoneum nor point-of-care diagnostics (packed cell volume, total solids, platelet count) were significantly associated with transfusion administration.
- Cats receiving transfusions had a significantly higher survival rate to discharge (p=0.008).
Conclusions:
- Hemoperitoneum in cats frequently necessitates blood product transfusions.
- Current point-of-care diagnostics were not predictive of transfusion requirements in this study.
- Blood transfusions are associated with improved survival outcomes for cats with hemoperitoneum.
Objective:
To evaluate blood product usage in cats with hemoperitoneum. To secondarily evaluate factors associated with transfusion administration and the outcome of cats with hemoperitoneum.
Design:
Retrospective study between the years 2018-2022.
Setting:
University veterinary teaching hospital and private practice hospital.
Animals:
33 cats admitted to the hospital diagnosed with hemoperitoneum from January 2018 to September 2022.
Measurements And Main Results:
Medical records were retrospectively reviewed; signalment, point-of-care diagnostics, effusion characteristics, and transfusion administration information was recorded. The most common etiology associated with hemoperitoneum was neoplasia (51.5%). Fifty-one percent (51.5%) of cats received a blood transfusion during hospitalization with the majority of cats receiving multiple transfusion types (69%). The etiology of hemoperitoneum was not associated with receiving a transfusion (p = 0.28) Point-of-care diagnostics including packed cell volume (PCV), total solids (TS) and platelet count were not significantly associated with receiving a transfusion (p = 0.317, p = 0.11 and p = 0.82, respectively). The PCV and TS of the effusion was also not significantly associated with transfusions (p = 0.91 and p = 0.63, respectively). Sixteen cats (48%) survived to discharge. Transfusions were significantly associated with outcome and cats that received a transfusion were more likely to survive to discharge (p = 0.008).
Conclusion:
In conclusion, hemoperitoneum from a variety of etiologies in cats is associated with a high proportion of transfusions. None of the evaluated point-of-care diagnostics were associated with transfusion administration in this study. Cats that received a transfusion were more likely to survive to discharge.
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