Fresh frozen plasma use in a tertiary referral hospital

Hospital transfusion practice is directed towards the optimization of transfusion therapy. A fresh frozen plasma (FFP) usage audit was performed on 316 consecutive FFP units, transfused in 119 transfusion episodes to 75 patients (January-April 1992). All patients had coagulation tests before and after FFP administration; 76% of the coagulation tests were abnormal and of the 24% patients with normal coagulation tests 83% required a massive blood transfusion. Prophylactic to therapeutic and surgical (pre, intra, post) to medical use was 48%:52% and 56%:44%, respectively. From 1988 to 1992 there has been a 42% fall in the hospital's usage of FFP and the FFP to red cell usage is 1:10. In this audit four groups of patients received FFP appropriately for the following indications: coagulation factor deficiency (40%); acute reversal of anticoagulation therapy (19%); massive blood transfusion (27%) and complex medical problems including intensive plasmapheresis (12%). Only 2 patients received FFP (4 units) inappropriately. A total of 98.7% of the FFP units were considered appropriately transfused.