Effect of single-unit transfusion in patients treated for haematological disease including acute leukemia: A multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial

• Published in: Leukemia research Vol. 129; p. 107058
• Main Authors: Chantepie, S.P., Mear, J.B., Briant, A.R., Vilque, J.P., Gac, A.C., Cheze, S., Girault, S., Turlure, P., Marolleau, J.P., Lebon, D., Charbonnier, A., Jardin, F., Lenain, P., Peyro-Saint-Paul, L., Abonnet, V., Dutheil, J.J., Chene, Y., Bazin, A., Reman, O., Parienti, J.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Acute leukemia; Blood; Erythrocyte Transfusion - adverse effects; Hematologic Diseases; Hemoglobins; Human health and pathology; Humans; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute - etiology; Life Sciences; Retrospective Studies; Stem cell transplantation; Transfusion; Acute leukemia; Stem cell transplantation; Transfusion; Blood
• ISSN: 0145-2126; 1873-5835; 0145-2126
• DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2023.107058

Retrospective studies in hematological unit have suggested that single red blood cell (1-RBC) unit transfusion policy may reduce the number of RBC used without negative clinical impact.
Acute leukemia patients requiring intensive chemotherapy or patients receiving autologous or allogeneic transplantation were randomly assigned to receive either single RBC (1-RBC arm) or double RBC (2-RBC arm) per transfusion with a hemoglobin trigger of 8 g/dL. The primary composite endpoint was the percentage of patients experiencing serious complications, such as a non-hematological adverse event grade ≥ 3 or intensive care admission or death.
A total of 981 and 592 RBC transfusions were required in the 1-RBC arm (n = 125) and the 2-RBC arm (n = 120), respectively. The mean pre-transfusion hemoglobin levels were 7.49 ± 0.83 g/dL in the 1-RBC arm and 7.46 ± 0.67 g/dL in the 2-RBC arm (p = 0.275). The predefined non-inferiority criteria was achieved with 28/125 patients reaching the primary endpoint in the 1-RBC arm (22.4 %) and 28/120 patients in the 2-RBC arm (23.3 %) (Risk difference 0.009; 95 %, Confidence interval [−0.0791 to 0.0978], p = 0.021). The median (IQR) of RBC units transfused per patient was 7 (4–12) in the 1-RBC arm and 8 (4–12) in 2-RBC arm. Hemoglobin levels at discharge were also comparable in both arms.
The results of this trial indicate that a single RBC transfusion policy is not inferior to a double RBC transfusion policy for patients receiving a bone marrow transplant or intensive chemotherapy in a hematological intensive care unit. However, the single RBC transfusion policy did not reduce the number of RBC units transfused per stay.
This trial was funded by a grant from the French Ministry of Health
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•Randomisation between 1-RBC arm and 2-RBC arm in hematological intensive care unit patient with hb>8g/dL.•Primary endpoint: percentage of patients who developed grade≥ 3 complications including death and ICU admission.•1-RBC transfusion policy was non-inferior to the 2-RBC transfusion policy.•No difference in quality of life assessment.•No reduction in RBC transfused with the 1-RBC strategy.