Dataset Information

Association of Perioperative Red Blood Cell Transfusions With Venous Thromboembolism in a North American Registry.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Increasing evidence supports the role of red blood cells (RBCs) in physiological hemostasis and pathologic thrombosis. Red blood cells are commonly transfused in the perioperative period; however, their association with postoperative thrombotic events remains unclear.

Objective

To examine the association between perioperative RBC transfusions and postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) within 30 days of surgery.

Design, setting, and participants

This analysis used prospectively collected registry data from the American College of Surgery National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database, a validated registry of 525 teaching and nonteaching hospitals in North America. Participants included patients in the ACS-NSQIP registry who underwent a surgical procedure from January 1 through December 31, 2014. Data were analyzed from July 1, 2016, through March 15, 2018.

Main outcomes and measures

Risk-adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were estimated using multivariable logistic regression. The primary outcome was the development of postoperative VTE (deep venous thrombosis [DVT] and pulmonary embolism [PE]) within 30 days of surgery that warranted therapeutic intervention; DVT and PE were also examined separately as secondary outcomes. Subgroup analyses were performed by surgical subtypes. Propensity score matching was performed for sensitivity analyses.

Results

Of 750 937 patients (56.8% women; median age, 58 years; interquartile range, 44-69 years), 47 410 (6.3%) received at least 1 perioperative RBC transfusion. Postoperative VTE occurred in 6309 patients (0.8%) (DVT in 4336 [0.6%]; PE in 2514 [0.3%]; both DVT and PE in 541 [0.1%]). Perioperative RBC transfusion was associated with higher odds of VTE (aOR, 2.1; 95% CI, 2.0-2.3), DVT (aOR, 2.2; 95% CI, 2.1-2.4), and PE (aOR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.7-2.1), independent of various putative risk factors. A significant dose-response effect was observed with increased odds of VTE as the number of intraoperative and/or postoperative RBC transfusion events increased (aOR, 2.1 [95% CI, 2.0-2.3] for 1 event; 3.1 [95% CI, 1.7-5.7] for 2 events; and 4.5 [95% CI, 1.0-19.4] for ≥3 events vs no intraoperative or postoperative RBC transfusion; P < .001 for trend). In subgroup analyses, the association between any perioperative RBC transfusion and postoperative VTE remained statistically significant across all surgical subspecialties analyzed. The association between any perioperative RBC transfusion and the development of postoperative VTE also remained robust after 1:1 propensity score matching (47 142 matched pairs; matched OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.8-2.1).

Conclusions and relevance

The results of this study suggest that perioperative RBC transfusions may be significantly associated with the development of new or progressive postoperative VTE, independent of several putative confounders. These findings, if validated, should reinforce the importance of rigorous perioperative management of blood transfusion practices.

SUBMITTER: Goel R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6233649 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:AimsAnaemia is common in cancer patients, with treatments including epoetins and blood transfusions. Although an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been associated with both therapeutics, studies comparing the risk of VTE between epoetins and transfusions in cancer patients are lacking.MethodsA nested case-control study investigated this risk using the German Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database. Cohort members were incident cancer patients receiving first time treatment with epoetin or transfusion. A subcohort including only patients receiving chemotherapy was created, since the formally approved indication of epoetins is chemotherapy-induced anaemia. Cases were defined as patients developing VTE. For each case up to 10 gender- and age-matched controls were selected from the cohort. Multiple confounder adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for VTE and recent treatment with epoetins or transfusions (last 28 days before index date) compared with past anti-anaemic treatment were calculated by conditional logistic regression.ResultsAmong 69 888 patients receiving first time treatment with epoetin or transfusion, 3316 VTE cases were identified. The aOR for VTE was 1.31 (95% CI 1.03, 1.65) for epoetins, 2.33 (95% CI 2.03, 2.66) for transfusions, and 2.24 (95% CI 1.34, 3.77) for epoetins and transfusions. Sensitivity analyses with a stricter VTE definition or an expanded time window yielded similar results. In the chemotherapy only subcohort the risk difference between epoetins and transfusions could not be verified (aOR 1.48, 95% CI 1.10, 1.98 vs. aOR 1.80, 95% CI 1.49, 2.19). Our study confirmed known VTE risk factors including previous VTE (aOR 14.76, 95% CI 12.79, 17.03) or surgery (aOR 1.83, 95% CI 1.67, 2.01). Epoetin-associated risk decreased after a safety warning by the European Medicines Agency setting maximum haemoglobin target values to 12 g dl(-1) .ConclusionsTransfusions could be associated with a higher VTE risk than epoetins in cancer patients. Moreover, current prescribing patterns may have decreased the VTE risk for epoetins.