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Red Blood Cell Transfusion and Transfusion Alternatives in Traumatic Brain Injury

  • Critical Care Neurology (K Sheth, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Opinion statement

Anemia develops in about 50% of patients hospitalized with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is recognized as a cause of secondary brain injury. This review examines the effects of anemia and transfusion on TBI patients through a literature search to identify original research on anemia and transfusion in TBI, the effects of transfusion on brain physiology, and the role of erythropoietin or hemoglobin-based blood substitutes (HBBSs). However, the amount of high-quality, prospective data available to help make decisions about when TBI patients should be transfused is very small. Randomized transfusion trials have involved far too few TBI patients to reach definitive conclusions. Thus, it is hardly surprising that there is widespread practice variation. In our opinion, a hemoglobin transfusion threshold of 7 g/dL cannot yet be considered safe for TBI patients admitted to hospital, and in particular to the ICU, as it is for other critically ill patients. Red blood cell transfusions often have immediate, seemingly beneficial effects on cerebral physiology, but the magnitude of this effect may depend in part upon how long the cells have been stored before administration. In light of existing physiological data, we generally aim to keep hemoglobin concentrations greater than 9 g/dL during the first several days after TBI. In part, the decision is based on the patient’s risk of or development of secondary ischemia or brain injury. An increasing number of centers use multimodal neurologic monitoring, which may help to individualize transfusion goals based on the degree of cerebral hypoxia or metabolic distress. When available, brain tissue oxygen tension values less than 15–20 mm Hg or a lactate:pyruvate ratio greater than 30–40 would influence us to use more aggressive hemoglobin correction (e.g., a transfusion threshold of 10 g/dL). Clinicians can attempt to reduce transfusion requirements by limiting phlebotomy, minimizing hemodilution, and providing appropriate prophylaxis against gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Administration of exogenous erythropoietin may have a small impact in further reducing the need for transfusion, but it also may increase complications, most notably deep venous thrombosis. Erythropoietin is currently of great interest as a potential neuroprotective agent, but until it is adequately evaluated in randomized controlled trials, it should not be used routinely for this purpose. HBBSs are also of interest, but existing preparations have not been shown to be beneficial—or even safe—in the context of TBI.

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References and Recommended Reading

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Disclosure

Conflicts of Interest: A. Kramer: none; P. Le Roux: consulting fees from Codman and Integra, grants from Integra and NeuroLogica; member of Scientific Advisory Board for Edge Therapeutics and of DSMB for BrainsGate.

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  1. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, 235 S. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19106, USA

    Peter Le Roux MD, FACS

  2. Department of Critical Care Medicine & Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Ground Floor, McCaig Tower, 3134 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 2T9, Canada

    Andreas H. Kramer MD, MSc, FRCPC

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  1. Andreas H. Kramer MD, MSc, FRCPC
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Correspondence to Peter Le Roux MD, FACS.

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Kramer, A.H., Le Roux, P. Red Blood Cell Transfusion and Transfusion Alternatives in Traumatic Brain Injury. Curr Treat Options Neurol 14, 150–163 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11940-012-0167-8

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