Rationalising the treatment of anaemia in cardiac surgery: short and mid-term results from a local quality improvement initiative

• Published in: Quality & safety in health care Vol. 19; no. 5; pp. 392 - 398
• Main Authors: Likosky, Donald S, Surgenor, Stephen D, Dacey, Lawrence J, DeFoe, Gordon R, Maislen, Elizabeth L, Clark, Jean A, Aubuchon, James P, Higgins, John H, Beaulieu, Peter A, O'Connor, Gerald T, Ross, Cathy S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.10.2010; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Acute coronary syndromes; Aged; anaemia; Anemia; Anemia - therapy; Anesthesia; Bacterial infections; Blood banks; Blood Transfusion - utilization; Blood transfusions; Cardiopulmonary bypass grafting; Cardiovascular disease; Clinical medicine; Coronary vessels; Critical care; Cross Infection - prevention & control; Female; Heart surgery; Hospitals; Human subjects; Humans; Intensive care; Male; Mortality; Patients; Perioperative Care; Quality; Quality Assurance, Health Care; Quality control; Quality improvement; Sepsis; statistical process control; surgery; Teams; Thoracic Surgical Procedures; transfusion; Transfusion Reaction; Lebanon; United States > US
• ISSN: 1475-3898; 1475-3901; 1475-3901
• DOI: 10.1136/qshc.2009.033456

BackgroundTransfusion of red blood cells, while often used for treating blood loss or haemodilution, is also associated with higher infection rates and mortality. The authors implemented an initiative to reduce variation in the number of perioperative transfusions associated with cardiac surgery.MethodsThe authors examined patients undergoing non-emergent cardiac surgery at a single centre from the third quarter 2004 to the second quarter 2007. Phase I focused on understanding the current process of managing and treating perioperative anaemia. Phase II focused on (1) quality-improvement project dissemination to staff, (2) developing and implementing new protocols, and (3) assessing the effect of subsequent interventions. Data reports were updated monthly and posted in the clinical units. Phase III determined whether reductions in transfusion rates persisted.ResultsIndications for transfusions were investigated during Phase II. More than half (59%) of intraoperative transfusions were for low haematocrit (Hct), and 31% for predicted low Hct during cardiopulmonary bypass. 43% of postoperative transfusions were for low Hct, with an additional 16% for failure to diurese. The last Hct value prior to transfusion was noted (Hct 25–23, p=0.14), suggestive of a higher tolerance for a lower Hct by staff surgeons. Intraoperative transfusions diminished across phases: 33% in Phase I, 25.8% in Phase II and 23.4% in Phase III (p<0.001). Relative to Phase I, postoperative transfusions diminished significantly over Phase II and III.ConclusionsWe report results from a focused quality-improvement initiative to rationalise treatment of perioperative anaemia. Transfusion rates declined significantly across each phase of the project.