Red blood cell transfusions are independently associated with intrahospital mortality in very low birth weight preterm infants

Santos, Am??lia Miyashiro Nunes dos
Guinsburg, Ruth
Almeida, Maria Fernanda Branco de
Procianoy, Renato S.
Leone, Cl??a Rodrigues
Marba, S??rgio Tadeu Martins
Rugolo, Ligia Maria Suppo de Souza
Fiori, Humberto Holmer
Lopes, Jos?? Maria de Andrade
Martinez, Francisco Eul??gio

Publication date

January 2011

Publisher

C.V. Mosby Company

Abstract

Objective To test the hypothesis that red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in preterm infants are associated with increased intra-hospital mortality. Study design Variables associated with death were studied with Cox regression analysis in a prospective cohort of preterm infants with birth weight <1500 g in the Brazilian Network on Neonatal Research. Intra-hospital death and death after 28 days of life were analyzed as dependent variables. Independent variables were infant demographic and clinical characteristics and RBC transfusions. Results Of 1077 infants, 574 (53.3%) received at least one RBC transfusion during the hospital stay. The mean number of transfusions per infant was 3.3 (+ -) 3.4, with 2.1 (+ - ) 2.1 in the ???rst 28 days of life...