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Patterns of use of group O, Rh‐negative red cells in a large metropolitan area and an action plan to control utilization
Author(s) -
Newman B.H.,
Shafer A.W.,
Saeed S.M.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1046/j.1537-2995.1996.36396182136.x
Subject(s) - medicine , abo blood group system , red cell , population , metropolitan area , emergency medicine , environmental health , pathology
Background: In southeastern Michigan, the group O, Rh‐negative (O‐) red cell supply was below emergency levels during one‐sixth of 1994, despite 43‐percent overcollection of O‐ red cell units relative to the size of the O‐ patient population. O‐ red cell units are overutilized because of their universal ABO and Rh compatibility. This study evaluated how hospitals in a large metropolitan area utilized O‐ red cell units, so that strategies could be devised to reduce O‐ usage. Study Design and Methods: Through an O‐ red cell utilization survey, 56 hospitals were encouraged to collect three months' worth of transfusion data, either prospectively or retrospectively. O‐ usage was compared to total red cell usage and categorized into transfusions to O‐ patients, those to non‐O‐ patients, and the number of O‐ units that outdated. Results: Of 40,616 units transfused in 38 hospitals, 3,535 (8.7%) were O‐; 71 percent of the O‐ units were transfused to O‐ patients, 28 percent were transfused to non‐O‐ patients, and 1 percent outdated. Hospital transfusions to O‐ patients appeared to correlate with the racial makeup of the patient population, while hospital transfusions to non‐O‐ patients appeared to correlate with hospital size and the hospital's transfusion practices. Conclusion: O‐ red cell usage in a hospital is dependent on the racial and ethnic mix of the hospital's patient population, the amount of transfusion activity, and the hospital's transfusion practices. An understanding of the dynamics of O‐ usage allowed the development of strategies to decrease O‐ utilization.