27 August 2024 (Tuesday) - Transfusion Evidence Alert Update

The nice people at the Transfusion Evidence Alert sent their update today. For once there was no mention of tranexamic acid, but another article caught my eye. Universal irradiation of platelets…

Why not?

Bearing in mind that most recipients of platelets (in my world) need them to be irradiated, ordering non-irradiated ones is no good to me in that if the patient for whom I’ve ordered them no longer requires them I’ve no one who can use them.

However irradiated ones can be given to someone else… 

ARTICLE OF THE MONTH Luspatercept versus epoetin alfa in erythropoiesis-stimulating agent-naive, transfusion-dependent, lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (COMMANDS): primary analysis of a phase 3, open-label, randomised, controlled trial. Porta, M.G.D., et al. (2024). The Lancet. Haematology. [Record in progress]. PICO Summary available +++++

TOP ARTICLES Thromboelastography-guided vs. standard-of-care or on-demand platelet transfusion in patients with cirrhosis and thrombocytopenia undergoing procedures: a randomized controlled trial. Biswas, S., et al. (2024). Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology: JVIR. [Record in progress]. Universal irradiation of platelets: does irradiation affect the quality, effectiveness, and safety of platelets for transfusion? Cain, L., et al. (2024). Transfusion Medicine Reviews. [Record in progress]. Low dose lenalidomide versus placebo in non-transfusion dependent patients with low risk, del(5q) myelodysplastic syndromes (SintraREV): a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial. Díez-Campelo, M., et al. (2024). The Lancet. Haematology. [Record in progress]. Albumin versus balanced crystalloid for the early resuscitation of sepsis: an open parallel-group randomized feasibility trial. The ABC-sepsis trial. Gray, A.J., et al. (2024). Critical Care Medicine. [Record in progress]. A randomized trial comparing imlifidase to plasmapheresis in kidney transplant recipients with antibody-mediated rejection. Halleck, F., et al. (2024). Clinical Transplantation. Engagement and partnership with consumers and communities in the co-design and conduct of research: lessons from the INtravenous iron polymaltose for First Nations Australian patients with high FERRitin levels on haemodialysis (INFERR) clinical trial. Long, S., et al. (2024). Research Involvement and Engagement. Seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus in African blood donors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Quintas, A.E., et al. (2024). EBioMedicine. A rapid review of strategies to manage low iron levels in adults donating whole-blood: a focus on donor behaviour. Thijsen, A., et al. (2024). Transfusion Medicine. Pharmacological interventions for preventing upper gastrointestinal bleeding in people admitted to intensive care units: a network meta-analysis. Toews, I., et al. (2024). BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine. [Record in progress].