Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2025
A Precision Medicine Tool for Measurement and Monitoring of Hemoglobin S in Sickle Cell Disease Patients Receiving Transfusion Therapy
Red blood cell utilization in patients with sickle cell disease: A Canadian single-center experience
Kelsey Uminski1, Iris Perelman2, Johnathan Mack2,3
1Division of Hematology and Hematological Malignancies, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Insights
Sickle cell disease patients frequently received O-negative red blood cells, with large volumes used for red cell exchange. This data offers a baseline for improving red blood cell use and stewardship.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Transfusion Medicine
- Sickle Cell Disease Management
Background:
- Red blood cell (RBC) utilization in Canadian sickle cell disease (SCD) patients is not well-defined.
- This study examines RBC use within an SCD cohort at a single Canadian center.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe and analyze RBC utilization patterns in adult patients with SCD.
- To establish a baseline for RBC use to inform future quality improvement initiatives.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of adult SCD patients at the Ottawa Hospital (January 2006 - May 2019).
- Data collected on hospital encounters and RBC transfusions from hospital databases.
- Follow-up extended to December 2021.
Main Results:
- 273 patients experienced 23,127 hospital encounters; 165 patients received 22,538 RBC units.
- 86.5% of RBC units were transfused outpatient; O-negative units comprised 29.1% of transfusions.
- Red cell exchange (RCE) involved 90.2% of transfused RBC units (20,333 units) across 2702 sessions.
Conclusions:
- SCD patients at this center frequently received O-negative RBC units.
- Significant volumes of RBCs were utilized for RCE procedures.
- Findings provide a baseline for RBC stewardship and optimization efforts in SCD care.
Background:
Red blood cell (RBC) utilization in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) in Canada is poorly defined. This study describes RBC utilization in an SCD cohort at a single Canadian center.
Study Design And Methods:
All adults with SCD who received care at the Ottawa Hospital between January 2006 and May 2019 were included, and followed until December 2021. Data on hospital encounters and RBC transfusions were obtained from hospital databases.
Results:
Overall, 273 patients were included (median age: 25 years; 53.8% female; median follow-up: 8.1 years). During the study period, there were 23,127 hospital encounters (median: 45 [interquartile range (IQR) 18, 100] per patient), with 165 patients (60.4% of cohort) receiving 22,538 RBC units. Most RBC units (86.5%) were transfused in the outpatient setting. Although only 2.9% of patients had O-negative blood type, O-negative RBC units accounted for 29.1% of units transfused. One hundred forty-seven patients received 2205 RBC units (9.8% of total) as simple transfusions (median: 5 [IQR 3, 13] per patient), and 88 patients received 20,333 RBC units (90.2% of total) during 2702 red cell exchange (RCE) sessions (median: 14.5 (IQR 1, 47.5) RCE per transfused patient). A median of 7 RBC units (IQR 6, 9) were transfused per RCE session, with a median of 30 days (IQR 28, 40) between sessions.
Discussion:
Patients with SCD at our center frequently received O-negative units, and large RBC volumes were used for RCE. These results provide a utilization baseline for future education and quality improvement initiatives to optimize RBC stewardship.
More Related Videos
05:23Continuous Manual Exchange Transfusion for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: An Efficient Method to Avoid Iron Overload
Published on: March 14, 2017
08:23Characterization of Sickling During Controlled Automated Deoxygenation with Oxygen Gradient Ektacytometry
Published on: November 5, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:27Disorders of Erythrocytes
Erythrocyte disorders can be broadly categorized into two main types: anemic and polycythemic conditions.
A low oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood due to the loss, lower production, or destruction of erythrocytes is termed anemia. Hemorrhagic anemia, for example, occurs when bleeding from an external wound or internal ulcer reduces erythrocyte counts.
On the other...
01:22Bone Marrow Sampling and Transplants
The transplant begins with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which aim to destroy...