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Blood use and transfusion needs at a large health care system in Washington state during the SARS‐CoV ‐2 pandemic
Author(s) -
Pagano Monica B.,
Cataife Guido,
Fertrin Kleber Yotsumoto,
Gernsheimer Terry,
R. Hess John,
Staley Elizabeth,
Clark Christine,
Senn Nina,
Tuott Erin,
C. Tsang Hamilton
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
transfusion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.045
H-Index - 132
eISSN - 1537-2995
pISSN - 0041-1132
DOI - 10.1111/trf.16051
Subject(s) - medicine , intensive care unit , pandemic , extracorporeal membrane oxygenation , logistic regression , blood transfusion , emergency medicine , intensive care medicine , covid-19 , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Background This report evaluates hospital blood use trends during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) pandemic, and identifies factors associated with the need for transfusion and risk of death in patients with coronavirus 2019 (COVID‐19). Methods Overall hospital blood use and medical records of adult patients with COVID‐19 were extracted for two institutions. Multivariate logistic regression models were conducted to estimate associations between the outcomes transfusion and mortality and patient factors. Results Daily blood use decreased compared to pre–COVID‐19 levels; the effect was more significant for platelets (29% and 34%) compared to red blood cells (25% and 20%) at the two institutions, respectively. Surgical and oncologic services had a decrease in average daily use of platelets of 52% and 30%, and red blood cells of 39% and 25%, respectively. A total of 128 patients with COVID‐19 were hospitalized, and 13 (10%) received at least one transfusion due to anemia secondary to chronic illness (n = 7), recent surgery (n = 3), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (n = 3). Lower baseline platelet count and admission to the intensive care unit were associated with increased risk of transfusion. The blood group distribution in patients with COVID‐19 was 37% group O, 40% group A, 18% group B, and 5% group AB. Non–type O was not associated with increased risk of mortality. Conclusion The response to the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic included changes in routine hospital operations that allowed for the provision of a sufficient level of care for patients with and without COVID‐19. Although blood type may play a role in COVID‐19 susceptibility, it did not seem to be associated with patient mortality.