Effects of Red Blood Cell Transfusion on Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery in Queensland

A Retrospective Cohort Study

Dhanapathy V, Obonyo N, White N, Sela D, Rachakonda R, Tunbridge M, Sim B, Teo D, Hoe LS, Fanning J, Tung J, Suen J, Fraser J Heart Lung Circul DOI 10.1016/j.hlc.2023.06.458

Background: Packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusion is a mainstay in cardiac surgery, however, there is limited evidence on clinical effects of transfusing blood nearing end-of shelf life. This study aimed to investigate associations between morbidity/mortality and transfusion of blood near end of shelf-life (>35 days) in cardiac surgical patients.