5 May 2026 (Tuesday) - Fritsma Factor Newsletter

And with my poor brain already overloaded so the Fritsma Factor Newsletter arrived in my in-box.

5 May 2026 (Tuesday) - Transfusion Evidence Library Update

The nice people at the Transfusion Evidence Library sent their update today. As always it boggled my poor brain. It was a lot to take in…

ARTICLE OF THE MONTH

Prehospital whole blood in traumatic hemorrhage - a randomized controlled trial.
Smith, J.E., et al. (2026). The New England Journal of Medicine. [Record in progress].
PICO SUMMARY

 

 

TOP ARTICLES

Romiplostim versus placebo for chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia.
Al-Samkari, H., et al. (2026). The New England Journal of Medicine.

Impact of feeding strategies during red blood cell transfusion on cerebral and splanchnic oxygenation in preterm infants: randomized pilot study.
Aslan Tuncay, S., et al. (2026). Journal of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. [Record in progress].

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents to reduce heart failure hospitalization: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Bunting, K.V., et al. (2026). European Journal of Heart Failure.

Substantial international variation in the cost of blood group and save and crossmatch: a systematic review.
Fabiano, G., et al. (2026). British Journal of Haematology.

Statistically significant results favored in abstracts of platelet rich plasma treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and spin analysis.
Fullano, G.D., et al. (2026). Arthroscopy.

Clinical and economic outcomes of therapeutic plasma exchange and intravenous immunoglobulin for treating adults with autoimmune neurological disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Kimber, C., et al. (2026). BMC Neurology.

Blood donation practices and behavioral intentions: a scoping review using the theory of planned behavior.
Lakew, G., et al. (2026). PLoS One.

Prophylactic haemostatic treatment to control iatrogenic bleeding during endobronchial biopsy (PROTECT study): a multicentre, randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled study.
Li, B., et al. (2026). Chest. [Record in progress].

Artificial intelligence implementation in transfusion medicine: addressing the challenges of clinical adoption.
Maynard, S., et al. (2026). Transfusion Medicine Reviews.

Albumin replacement therapy in septic shock: a randomized clinical trial.
Sakr, Y., et al. (2026). JAMA Network Open.

 

3 May 2026 (Sunday) - Babeosis

I’ve (so far) never seen a case of babeosis, but it can only be a matter of time.
Apparently severe cases are treated with exchange transfusions
Forewarned is forearmed…

 

3 May 2026 (Sunday) - Slide Saturday Challenge

Flame cells… I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen them in real life…

2 May 2026 (Saturday) - Unexpected Thrombocytosis

I was sitting in the garden enjoying the Bank Holiday sunshine when my phone beeped. A colleague wanted my opinion on a blood film…

A sample taken in the community had been somehow left in the sunshine, the red cells had cooked and broken up, and the analyser had counted the fragments as platelets.

Here’s my (updated) take on the matter…

1 May 2026 (Friday) - HCPC Update

The HCPC sent out their newsletter today. You can read it by clicking here. As always I wish it was of more direct relevance to me…

I must admit I was interested by the updated guidance on fitness to practice. Dishonesty for example… is being a tad cheeky with evading paying for parking really a striking off offence? And the bit on sexually motivated misconduct… back in the day I used to joke with the younger trainees… these days I’m terrified to even say hello.

30 April 2026 (Thursday) - BTLP-TACT Exercise

Time for another BTLP-TACT exercise. I was presented with one case – an eighty year old chap in A&E with coffee ground vomit needing group and save.

 

He grouped as AB Rh(D) Positive with antibody screen positive in cell 3.

I performed antibody panels. The IAT and enzyme panels were both positive in cell 8 corresponding with anti Kp(a)

 

I got it right.