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Dose of prophylactic platelet transfusions and prevention of hemorrhage.

ABSTRACT:

Background

We conducted a trial of prophylactic platelet transfusions to evaluate the effect of platelet dose on bleeding in patients with hypoproliferative thrombocytopenia.

Methods

We randomly assigned hospitalized patients undergoing hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation or chemotherapy for hematologic cancers or solid tumors to receive prophylactic platelet transfusions at a low dose, a medium dose, or a high dose (1.1x10(11), 2.2x10(11), or 4.4x10(11) platelets per square meter of body-surface area, respectively), when morning platelet counts were 10,000 per cubic millimeter or lower. Clinical signs of bleeding were assessed daily. The primary end point was bleeding of grade 2 or higher (as defined on the basis of World Health Organization criteria).

Results

In the 1272 patients who received at least one platelet transfusion, the primary end point was observed in 71%, 69%, and 70% of the patients in the low-dose group, the medium-dose group, and the high-dose group, respectively (differences were not significant). The incidences of higher grades of bleeding, and other adverse events, were similar among the three groups. The median number of platelets transfused was significantly lower in the low-dose group (9.25x10(11)) than in the medium-dose group (11.25x10(11)) or the high-dose group (19.63x10(11)) (P=0.002 for low vs. medium, P<0.001 for high vs. low and high vs. medium), but the median number of platelet transfusions given was significantly higher in the low-dose group (five, vs. three in the medium-dose and three in the high-dose group; P<0.001 for low vs. medium and low vs. high). Bleeding occurred on 25% of the study days on which morning platelet counts were 5000 per cubic millimeter or lower, as compared with 17% of study days on which platelet counts were 6000 to 80,000 per cubic millimeter (P<0.001).

Conclusions

Low doses of platelets administered as a prophylactic transfusion led to a decreased number of platelets transfused per patient but an increased number of transfusions given. At doses between 1.1x10(11) and 4.4x10(11) platelets per square meter, the number of platelets in the prophylactic transfusion had no effect on the incidence of bleeding. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00128713.)

SUBMITTER: Slichter SJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2951321 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Thrombocytopenia is frequently encountered in critically ill patients, often resulting in prophylactic transfusion of platelets for the prevention of bleeding complications. However, the efficacy of this practice remains unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between prophylactic platelet transfusion and bleeding complications in critically ill patients. METHODS:This is a retrospective cohort study of adults admitted to surgical, medical, or combined medical-surgical intensive care units (ICUs) at a single academic institution between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2013. Inclusion criteria included age ?18 years and a platelet count measured during ICU admission. Propensity-matched analyses were used to evaluate associations between prophylactic platelet transfusions and the outcomes of interest with a primary outcome of red blood cell transfusion in the ensuing 24 hours and secondary outcomes of ICU and hospital-free days and changes in sequential organ failure assessment scores. RESULTS:A total of 40,693 patients were included in the investigation with 3227 (7.9%) receiving a platelet transfusion and 1065 (33.0%) for which platelet transfusion was prophylactic in nature. In propensity-matched analyses, 994 patients with prophylactic platelet transfusion were matched to those without a transfusion. Patients receiving prophylactic platelets had significantly higher red blood cell transfusion rates (odds ratio 7.5 [5.9-9.5]; P < .001), fewer ICU-free days (mean [standard deviation] 20.8 [9.1] vs 22.7 [8.3] days; P = .004), fewer hospital-free days (13.0 [9.7] vs 15.8 [9.4] days; P < .001), and less improvement in sequential organ failure assessment scores (mean decrease of 0.2 [3.6] vs 1.8 [3.3]; P < .001) in the subsequent 24 hours. These findings appeared robust, persisting in multiple predefined sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS:Prophylactic administration of platelets in the critically ill was not associated with improved clinical outcomes, though residual confounding may exist. Further investigation of platelet transfusion strategies in this population is warranted.

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