Liberal or Restrictive Postoperative Transfusion in Patients at High Cardiac Risk

Does a liberal transfusion strategy compared with a restrictive strategy decrease the risk of death or major ischemic events after major operations in patients at high risk of cardiac events?A total of 1428 veterans at high risk of postoperative cardiac events received transfusions based on a liberal or restrictive strategy after major operative interventions. The primary outcome rate was similar in both groups (9.1% in the liberal group vs 10.1% in the restrictive group).A liberal transfusion strategy compared with a restrictive strategy did not significantly reduce 90-day postoperative death or major ischemic event rates.

Corresponding Author: Panos Kougias, MD, MSc, Department of Surgery, State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11203 (panagiotis.kougias@downstate.edu).

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