Anesthesiology:
December 2008 - Volume 109 - Issue 6 - pp 951-953
doi: 10.1097/ALN.0b013e31818e3d75

ALLOGENEIC erythrocyte transfusions are associated with increased mortality,1 major adverse cardiac and noncardiac outcome,2 and low output failure in cardiac surgery. Transfusion of allogeneic erythrocyte transfusions has also been found to be an independent factor increasing mortality in trauma, including traumatic brain injury,3 burns,4 liver transplantation, intensive care medicine,5 and the treatment of acute coronary syndrome.6 In addition, allogeneic erythrocyte, fresh frozen plasma, and platelet transfusions result in a several-fold increase in postoperative and nosocomial infections.6,7 Furthermore, allogeneic erythrocyte, fresh frozen plasma, and platelet transfusions frequently cause transfusion-related acute lung injury,6,8 which in itself again increases mortality, morbidity, and costs. Last but not least, costs of erythrocyte transfusions have been significantly underestimated, even when excluding the cost of treatment of these adverse outcomes or the prolonged intensive care and hospital stay related to erythrocyte transfusion.9

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