prematurity may complicate therapy with an increased risk of graft-versus-host
disease in this population.
The Transfusion Requirements in Critical Care (TRICC) study has become
a landmark article in adult critical care that supports institution of restrictive
transfusion policies [3].^ This study showed a decreased in-hospital mortality rate
and no difference in 30-day mortality in critically ill patients who had a more
restrictive transfusion threshold (7g/dL). Guidelines, therefore, have been
proposed and instituted at many centers to standardize transfusion medicine.
These guidelines vary from institution to institution and rely upon critical review of
the current literature as well as local transfusion policies and expert opinion.
Clinical judgment remains an integral part of the decision making process [4]..
Ii. RBC Transfusion Products And Volumes
There are different types of bood products. As a rule of thumb, use the
following table for specific patients in the ICU.
Blood Product Type Patient
CMV negative Severely immunodeficient patients who are CMV
negative. CMV negative transplant patients
Irradiated (prevents GVHD) Infants,congenital immunodeficiency, cancer, HSC
Pharesed/leukofiltered Everyone
Washed PRBC Patients known to have exposed antigen-causing
hemolytic reaction