Storage injury and blood transfusions in trauma patients

Purpose of review The aim of the present review was to concisely summarize recent studies and current knowledge about effects of red blood cell storage injury in trauma patients. Recent findings Despite a pathophysiological rationale for older packed red blood cells (PRBCs) being associated with adverse events in the host organism, recent large clinical trials failed to show negative effects of transfusion with older PRBCs on clinically relevant outcomes in mixed patient population. However, there is a lack of well-designed randomized controlled trials focusing on the effects of storage lesion of PRBCs in trauma patients. Summary In the absence of specific evidence for trauma patients, we recommend to continue with a conservative transfusion regime and standard of care blood banking practice of using older PRBCs first. Correspondence to Haibo Zhang, MD, PhD, Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, Departments of Anesthesia and Physiology, University of Toronto, Room 619, LKSKI, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada. E-mail: zhangh@smh.ca Copyright © 2018 YEAR Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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