Sanne de Bruin

30 Chapter 2 Table.1 Respondents demographics (continued) Demographics No. of respondents (%) 10-15 206 (28) 16-20 115 (16) >20 193 (27) Not specified 2 (0) Annual number of patients treated in the ICU <500 178 (25) 501-1000 239 (33) 1001-1500 139 (19) 1501-2000 66 (9) >2000 98 (14) Not specified 5 (1) Type of institution University hospital 326 (45) University affiliated hospital 146 (20) Non-university public hospital 183 (25) Private hospital 64 (9) Other 6 (1) Which unit do you use to measure haemoglobin g/dL 499 (69) g/L 171 (24) mmol/L 55 (8) Red cell transfusion The median reported Hb threshold used in the general ICU population was 7 g/dL (7.0-7.5). Higher Hb transfusion thresholds were reported in patients with acute coro- nary syndrome (ACS), septic shock, acute brain injury, those receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), age over 65 years, and with prolonged weaning were transfused at higher Hb thresholds (p<0.001 for all patient populations, see figure 1). Thresholds did not differ between oncological/hematologic patients and the general ICU population (p=1). The largest variation in transfusion thresholds was observed in patients on ECMO and in patients with traumatic brain injury. Respondents would transfuse these patient populations at a Hb threshold of 8.0 g/dL (7.0-9.0). The highest Hb threshold was reported for patients with ACS median 9.0 g/dL (8.0-9.7). Following the transfusion of the first RCC, Hb levels were routinely not re-evaluated before transfusing a second unit. Of the respondents 28% always re-evaluate the Hb level while 16% never re-evaluate.