Journal article
Red Blood Cell Transfusion Thresholds for Anemia of Prematurity
Neoreviews (Elk Grove Village, Ill.), Vol.24(6), pp.e370-e376
06/01/2023
DOI: 10.1542/neo.24-6-e370
PMCID: PMC10865726
PMID: 37258497
Abstract
Anemia of prematurity affects the majority of preterm infants, particularly extremely low birthweight infants. Anemia of prematurity arises from both innate and iatrogenic causes and results in more than 80% of extremely preterm infants receiving red blood cell transfusions during the first month after birth. Multiple randomized controlled trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of using lower versus higher transfusion thresholds based on hemoglobin levels. These trials showed no difference in the primary outcome of neurodevelopmental impairment at 2 years of age between lower and higher thresholds. However, some uncertainties about transfusion thresholds remain. This review elaborates the following: 1) the etiology, prevention, and treatment of anemia of prematurity with a focus on red blood cell transfusions, 2) the history of randomized controlled trials on the treatment of anemia of prematurity, and 3) limitations of the evidence and remaining questions about thresholds for red blood cell transfusions in preterm infants.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Red Blood Cell Transfusion Thresholds for Anemia of Prematurity
- Creators
- Lindsay F Holzapfel - The University of Texas Health Science CenterMatthew A Rysavy - The University of Texas Health Science CenterEdward F Bell - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Neoreviews (Elk Grove Village, Ill.), Vol.24(6), pp.e370-e376
- DOI
- 10.1542/neo.24-6-e370
- PMID
- 37258497
- PMCID
- PMC10865726
- NLM abbreviation
- Neoreviews
- eISSN
- 1526-9906
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/01/2023
- Academic Unit
- Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Neonatology
- Record Identifier
- 9984425160302771
Metrics
13 Record Views