Evaluation of quality of life of patients receiving erythrocyte and differences in disc transfusion practice between discipline

The aim of this study was to determine the differences of blood transfusion practice among disciplines, to investigate the factors other than anemia which are affecting the quality of life and fatigue in patients and to evaluate the efficacy of erythrocyte suspension transfusion (EST). The study was conducted between May 2018 and March 2019 with 60 patients who were administrated EST in university hospital in Tekirdağ. The data were obtained with the General Information Form, Quality of Life Scale, Short Form-36 (SF-36), The Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS: YSQ), patient files and the investigator's own observations. In the analysis of variables, in addition to descriptive statistical methods (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation), t test, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal Wallis, One Way ANOVA and correlation analyzes were used. P<0.05 was considered significant in the statistical evaluations. The mean value of pretransfusion hemoglobin (hgb) was 7.98 ± 1.25 g/dL for whole patients but there was a difference between disciplines (p <0.05). When we evaluated the fatigue before and after transfusion of patients receiving erythrocyte transfusion; Oncology patients were found to be the most tired with a mean of 6,31 ± 0,80 points before transfusion. When the interdisciplinary transfusion practice differences are examined; 90% of the transfusions were administered by peripheral vein. Although blood transfusion consent form was obtained from 35% of the patients, only 13.3% were aware of the informed consent. 48.3 of the patients were not followed-up for the first 15 minutes after the transfusion began. Blood transfusion reaction developed in 8.4% of the patients. 43.3% of the transfusion forms were filled in incomplete. Key Words: Erythrocyte Transfusion, Anemia, Quality of Life, Fatigue