Neuroanesthesia & neurocritical care
Transfusion Practices in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Pooled result · Favorable Glasgow Outcome ScaleResult — go to the resultRelative risk 1.16 95% CI 1.00–1.34Authors' conclusion
Our findings suggest that a liberal transfusion strategy results in better neurologic outcomes than a restrictive approach.
Study context
- Population
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients
- Participants
- 1,533 patients · 5 RCTs
- Comparison
- Liberal vs restrictive transfusion strategy
- Liberaln = 769
- Restrictiven = 764reference
- Outcome
- Favorable Glasgow Outcome Scale
Methodological detailsleave-one-out analysis
- Leave-one-out analysis
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Relative risk
1.16
95% CI 1.00–1.34
Liberal vs Restrictive
RR 1.16 (95% CI 1.00–1.34)
Further pooled results
| Outcome | MD (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Blood units per patientMore blood units with liberal strategy | 2.62 (1.90–3.33) | |
| −2024Difference (linear scale) |
Favorable GOS (leave-one-out analysis)
- Significant in leave-one-out analysis: RR
- 1.24 (95% CI 1.06-1.45)
Hospital mortality
- No significant difference: RR
- 0.98 (95% CI 0.76-1.27)
Mortality at follow-up
- No significant difference: RR
- 1.03 (95% CI 0.82-1.28)
ICU mortality
- No significant difference: RR
- 1.00 (95% CI 0.73-1.37)
Hospital length of stay (LOS)
- No significant difference: MD
- −1.45 (95% CI −4.85 to 1.96)
ICU LOS
- No significant difference: MD
- −0.47 (95% CI −3.84 to 2.91)
Safety
| Outcome | RR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| ARDSSignificantly higher prevalence with liberal strategy | 1.78 (1.06–2.98) | |
| 0.20.5125Relative risk (log scale) |
Infection rates
- No significant difference: RR
- 1.08 (95% CI 0.95-1.23)
Thromboembolic events
- No significant difference: RR
- 1.79 (95% CI 0.74-4.31)
Original publication
Transfusion Practices in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Crit Care Med. Published 29 January 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →