Investigation of blood transfusion frequency in intensive care unit

This study was conducted on 1253 patients aged 18 and over, who were monitored in the Postoperative Intensive Care, Resuscitation, and Surgical Intensive Care units of Trakya University Medical Faculty Hospital between March 15, 2023, and March 15, 2024, to investigate the epidemiology, frequency, and indications for transfusions, as well as the effects of these practices on mortality and morbidity. Patient demographics, admission diagnoses, intensive care scoring system laboratory values, administered blood and blood products, and clinical outcomes were recorded in detail. The study determined that 20.1% of patients received a blood or blood product transfusion, while 79.9% did not. SOFA and APACHE II scores, which indicate disease severity, were significantly higher in the transfused group, while GCS scores were lower. This suggests that transfusion requirements are closely related to the clinical severity of the patients. Furthermore, transfused patients experienced significantly longer lengths of stay in both the intensive care unit and hospital. An examination of admission diagnoses revealed a higher rate of transfusion requirements in patients with gastrointestinal diseases, intracranial pathologies, and trauma. Conversely, restrictive transfusion approaches are more frequently used in patients with respiratory and sepsis diagnoses. Hemoglobin levels were significantly lower in transfused patients, and Hb levels were positively correlated with the use of packed red blood cells and cryoprecipitate. However, an inverse relationship was observed between the APACHE II score and cryoprecipitate use. Mortality was 67% in transfused patients, compared to 40.9% in non-transfused patients, a statistically significant difference. However, the higher severity of illness in the transfused group suggests that the difference in mortality cannot be attributed solely to transfusion. In conclusion, this study comprehensively demonstrates the frequency of transfusion practices in intensive care units, their indications, and their relationship to patient outcomes. The findings support the importance of restrictive strategies and the need for patient-based decision-making, as transfusion is most common in patients with severe clinical conditions. Keywords: Intensive Care, Blood Transfusion, Mortality