PLATELET TRANSFUSIONS IN ADVANCED HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES - A POSITION PAPER

Citation
Jm. Lassauniere et al., PLATELET TRANSFUSIONS IN ADVANCED HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES - A POSITION PAPER, Journal of palliative care, 12(1), 1996, pp. 38-41
Citations number
23
Categorie Soggetti
Heath Policy & Services
Journal title
ISSN journal
08258597
Volume
12
Issue
1
Year of publication
1996
Pages
38 - 41
Database
ISI
SICI code
0825-8597(1996)12:1<38:PTIAHM>2.0.ZU;2-9
Abstract
Treatment of patients with advanced-stage hematological malignancies ( HM) includes frequent transfusions. Given present limited hospital bud gets, administrative pressure is increasing on hematology services to limit the cost of these transfusions. An expert multidisciplinary pane l involved in hematology formed a working party to draw up a series of proposals, including definitions of advanced stage disease and the in dications for platelet transfusion. Their proposals included: (a) Plat elet transfusions are indicated for the treatment of bleeding caused b y low platelet counts; (b) Patients should-receive full information, i ncluding the basic criteria for platelet transfusion; (c) Doctors shou ld be trained to assess whether or not platelet transfusions are urgen tly required; and (d) The practice of home transfusions should be enco uraged.