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. 2020 Apr;46(4):673-696.
doi: 10.1007/s00134-019-05884-8. Epub 2020 Jan 7.

Transfusion strategies in non-bleeding critically ill adults: a clinical practice guideline from the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine

Alexander P Vlaar  1   2 , Simon Oczkowski  3   4   5 , Sanne de Bruin  6 , Marije Wijnberge  6   7 , Massimo Antonelli  8   9 , Cecile Aubron  10 , Philippe Aries  10 , Jacques Duranteau  11 , Nicole P Juffermans  6 , Jens Meier  12 , Gavin J Murphy  13 , Riccardo Abbasciano  13 , Marcella Muller  6 , Akshay Shah  14   15 , Anders Perner  16 , Sofie Rygaard  16 , Timothy S Walsh  17 , Gordon Guyatt  3   4   5 , J C Dionne  3   4   5 , Maurizio Cecconi  18   19
Affiliations

Transfusion strategies in non-bleeding critically ill adults: a clinical practice guideline from the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine

Alexander P Vlaar et al. Intensive Care Med. 2020 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To develop evidence-based clinical practice recommendations regarding transfusion practices in non-bleeding, critically ill adults.

Design: A task force involving 13 international experts and three methodologists used the GRADE approach for guideline development.

Methods: The task force identified four main topics: red blood cell transfusion thresholds, red blood cell transfusion avoidance strategies, platelet transfusion, and plasma transfusion. The panel developed structured guideline questions using population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes (PICO) format.

Results: The task force generated 16 clinical practice recommendations (3 strong recommendations, 13 conditional recommendations), and identified five PICOs with insufficient evidence to make any recommendation.

Conclusions: This clinical practice guideline provides evidence-based recommendations and identifies areas where further research is needed regarding transfusion practices and transfusion avoidance in non-bleeding, critically ill adults.

Keywords: Coagulopathy; Critically ill; EPO; Guideline; Intensive care; Plasma; Platelets; Point of care; Red blood cells; Transfusion.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Comment in

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