Red Blood Cell Exchange Transfusion for Severe Babesiosis

Is red blood cell exchange transfusion (ET) associated with improved clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized with severe babesiosis?In this multicenter cohort study of 629 patients hospitalized with severe babesiosis at 82 US sites, 33% received ET within 7 days. The composite end point of in-hospital death or 30-day readmission occurred in 3.6% of ET-treated patients vs 9.8% of those not treated, a significant difference.These findings indicate that ET was associated with significantly improved clinical outcomes in patients with severe babesiosis.

Corresponding Author: David E. Leaf, MD, MMSc, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115 (deleaf@bwh.harvard.edu).

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