We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
ARAB HEALTH - INFORMA

Download Mobile App




Events

27 Jan 2025 - 30 Jan 2025
15 Feb 2025 - 17 Feb 2025

Taking Less Blood for Lab Testing Reduces Transfusions in Intensive Care, Shows World-First Clinical Trial

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 13 Oct 2023
Print article
Image: Using small-volume tubes for blood collection can reduce transfusions (Photo courtesy of 123RF)
Image: Using small-volume tubes for blood collection can reduce transfusions (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Most hospitals utilize standard tubes to automatically collect four to six milliliters of blood frpm their patients for laboratory testing. However, the typical lab test usually needs less than half a milliliter of blood, resulting in over 90% of the drawn blood being wasted. There are commercially available tubes that draw less blood due to a weaker vacuum inside, which can be particularly beneficial in intensive care units (ICUs). In ICUs, patients often need numerous blood samples collected multiple times a day, which can lead to a significant loss of blood. This loss can result in anemia, as ICU patients are often unable to regenerate red blood cells quickly enough. As a result, these patients frequently require blood transfusions. Now, a world-first clinical trial has come up with an easy way to save blood.

The trial by researchers at the University of Ottawa (Ontario, Canada) involved over 27,000 patients across 25 adult ICUs. The study showed that the use of "small-volume" tubes for blood collection reduced the need for a blood transfusion in nearly one out of every 10 patients. The trial was innovative in its design, as it involved randomizing different ICUs to use either small-volume blood collection tubes or regular tubes for different periods of time, before switching to the other tubes. The researchers tracked blood transfusion data for each patient through electronic medical records, excluding those who were in the ICU for less than 48 hours.

While previous observational studies have suggested the benefits of using small-volume tubes, this is the first clinical trial to rigorously evaluate their efficacy in a hospital environment. The trial not only found that the use of these tubes reduced the incidence of anemia and the need for blood transfusions, but also confirmed that the lesser amount of blood drawn did not affect the quality of lab tests. After excluding data collected during the peak of the pandemic, the findings remained consistent, albeit not statistically significant. The research is significant because anemia can cause patients to feel weak and tired, potentially leading to other complications and extended hospital stays. Although blood transfusions are generally effective in treating anemia, they can occasionally lead to rare but serious side effects like respiratory difficulties, allergic reactions, and infections.

“This trial showed that we can save one blood transfusion for every 10 ICU patients by simply switching to small-volume tubes for blood collection,” said senior author Dr. Deborah Siegal, a scientist and hematologist at The Ottawa Hospital who led the trial. “At a time when everyone is trying to find ways to make health care more sustainable, and preserve our supply of blood products, this study provides a simple solution that can be implemented without additional cost or negative effects.

Related Links:
University of Ottawa 

New
Gold Member
X-Ray QA Meter
T3 AD Pro
Gold Member
SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Sample-To-Answer Test
SARS‑CoV‑2/Flu A/Flu B/RSV Cartridge (CE-IVD)
New
Blanket Warming Cabinet
EC250
New
Cannulating Sphincterotome
TRUEtome

Print article

Channels

Surgical Techniques

view channel
Image: The surgical team and the Edge Multi-Port Endoscopic Surgical Robot MP1000 surgical system (Photo courtesy of Wei Zhang)

Endoscopic Surgical System Enables Remote Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

Telemedicine enables patients in remote areas to access consultations and treatments, overcoming challenges related to the uneven distribution and availability of medical resources. However, the execution... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The portable biosensor platform uses printed electrochemical sensors for the rapid, selective detection of Staphylococcus aureus (Photo courtesy of AIMPLAS)

Portable Biosensor Platform to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections

Approximately 4 million patients in the European Union acquire healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) or nosocomial infections each year, with around 37,000 deaths directly resulting from these infections,... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The acoustic pipette uses sound waves to test for biomarkers in blood (Photo courtesy of Patrick Campbell/CU Boulder)

Handheld, Sound-Based Diagnostic System Delivers Bedside Blood Test Results in An Hour

Patients who go to a doctor for a blood test often have to contend with a needle and syringe, followed by a long wait—sometimes hours or even days—for lab results. Scientists have been working hard to... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.