EFFECTS OF BLOOD-TRANSFUSION ON LEFT-VENTRICULAR OUTPUT IN PREMATURE BABIES

Objective: To investigate the acute effects of red blood cell transfus ion on haemodynamics in preterm babies. Setting: A neonatal unit in a University Hospital. Patients: Preterm babies whose postnatal age was less than four weeks and who required red blood cell transfusion. Meas urement: Cardiac output and left ventricular systolic function was det ermined using Doppler echocardiography before, one hour and 24 h after red blood cell transfusion. Blood pressure and haematocrit were also recorded at the same time. Mixed-effects regression model was used to analyse the effect of blood transfusion on left ventricular function a nd cardiac output. Results: 57 preterm babies were recruited. Univaria te analysis showed that cardiac index decreased significantly 24 h aft er transfusion (P<0.05). Systemic red cell transport increased by an a verage of 11.1% 24 h after transfusion (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the cardiac index was negatively associated with haematoc rit and the index was higher in male babies. Conclusion: There was a s ignificant drop in cardiac index and an increase in systemic red cell transport 24 h after transfusion in premature babies.