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Meta-Analysis
. 2020 Jun 24;18(1):154.
doi: 10.1186/s12916-020-01614-w.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses comparing mortality in restrictive and liberal haemoglobin thresholds for red cell transfusion: an overview of systematic reviews

Kevin M Trentino  1   2 , Shannon L Farmer  3   4   5 , Michael F Leahy  5   6 , Frank M Sanfilippo  7 , James P Isbister  8 , Rhonda Mayberry  9 , Axel Hofmann  4   10 , Aryeh Shander  11 , Craig French  12 , Kevin Murray  7
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses comparing mortality in restrictive and liberal haemoglobin thresholds for red cell transfusion: an overview of systematic reviews

Kevin M Trentino et al. BMC Med. .

Abstract

Background: There are no overviews of systematic reviews investigating haemoglobin thresholds for transfusion. This is important as the literature on transfusion thresholds has grown considerably in recent years. Our aim was to synthesise evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the effects of restrictive and liberal transfusion strategies on mortality.

Methods: This was a systematic review of systematic reviews (overview). We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Joanna Briggs Institute EBP Database, from 2008 to 2018. We included systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials comparing mortality in patients assigned to red cell transfusion strategies based on haemoglobin thresholds. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed methodological quality. We assessed the methodological quality of included reviews using AMSTAR 2 and the quality of evidence pooled using an algorithm to assign GRADE levels.

Results: We included 19 systematic reviews reporting 33 meta-analyses of mortality outcomes from 53 unique randomised controlled trials. Of the 33 meta-analyses, one was graded as high quality, 15 were moderate, and 17 were low. Of the meta-analyses presenting high- to moderate-quality evidence, 12 (75.0%) reported no statistically significant difference in mortality between restrictive and liberal transfusion groups and four (25.0%) reported significantly lower mortality for patients assigned to a restrictive transfusion strategy. We found few systematic reviews addressed clinical differences between included studies: variation was observed in haemoglobin threshold concentrations, the absolute between group difference in haemoglobin threshold concentration, time to randomisation (resulting in transfusions administered prior to randomisation), and transfusion dosing regimens.

Conclusions: Meta-analyses graded as high to moderate quality indicate that in most patient populations no difference in mortality exists between patients assigned to a restrictive or liberal transfusion strategy.

Trial registration: PROSPERO CRD42019120503.

Keywords: Anaemia; Overview; Red cell transfusion; Systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors have completed the uniform disclosure form of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf and declare the following: SF reports other from National Blood Authority (Australia) and non-financial support from University of Tasmania, Australia, outside the submitted work. JI reports personal fees and non-financial support from Vifor Pharma, personal fees and non-financial support from National Blood Authority, and personal fees and non-financial support from CSL Behring, outside the submitted work. AH reports personal fees from Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria; personal fees and non-financial support from TEM Innovations, Germany; personal fees and non-financial support from Vifor Pharma International AG, Switzerland; personal fees and non-financial support from Haemoview Diagnostics, Australia; personal fees from Thieme Publishing, Germany; personal fees from Vygon SA, France; personal fees and non-financial support from Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma Ltd., Switzerland; personal fees and non-financial support from Swiss Medical Network, Switzerland; and non-financial support from South African National Blood Service, South Africa, outside the submitted work. KT, ML, FS, RM, AS, CF, and KM have nothing to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PRISMA flow diagram
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Matrix of randomised controlled trials pooled by the 19 included systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Range in restrictive and liberal haemoglobin thresholds pooled by systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Size of the markers represents number of trials
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Assessing methodological quality of systematic reviews
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Relative risks (95% CI) for mortality from meta-analyses comparing restrictive and liberal red cell transfusion thresholds. ND = not defined; †, odds ratios presented; *, odds ratio recalculated to reflect 30-day mortality
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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