REDUCING DONOR EXPOSURE IN PRETERM INFANTS REQUIRING MULTIPLE BLOOD-TRANSFUSIONS

Preterm infants frequently require multiple blood transfusions. Tradit ionally, 'fresh' (less than seven days old) blood has been used but th is often results in transfusions from multiple donors. To reduce donor exposure the policy for top-up transfusions was changed. A unit of bl ood under five days old with additional satellite packs was ordered fo r each infant and used up to its expiry date, allowing up to eight tra nsfusions from a single donation to be given. The mean (SD) number of transfusions per infant in 43 infants transfused according to previous policy and in 29 transfused according to the new policy was similar a t 5.6 (4.0) and 5.3 (3.1), respectively. However, donor exposure fell following the change in policy from 4.9 (3.5) to only 2.0 (0.9). Only one infant was exposed to more than three donors compared with 24 infa nts in the control group. Plasma potassium concentrations were not sig nificantly different following transfusion of blood stored for up to 3 3 days. This simple change in policy has reduced donor exposure in inf ants requiring multiple top-up transfusions.