A 6-month Review of pRBC Transfusion Practices in a Tertiary Institution in Brooklyn, NY

Abstract

Abstract Introduction/Objective Many factors are considered when managing hospital blood inventory. Because demographics and types of services vary per institution, a conscious effort to survey the prevalence of different blood types is necessary to make better predictions of inventory adequacy and decrease inappropriate use of O pRBC units. Methods/Case Report We reviewed the transfused pRBC units between October 2023 and March 2024 to determine the number of patients receiving ABO-type specific units and the number of D+ patients receiving D- units. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) After review, the patient population was found to be approximately 80% African Americans. Most of our patients were D+ with a monthly average of 224 patients. In contrast, we served 15 D- patients per month (PPM). Between 21-33% of D+ patients received D- units. O blood type was the most common, with an average of 224 PPM, followed by A blood type at 57 PPM and B blood type at 51 PPM. Since we see an average of 10 AB blood type patients monthly, it wasn’t surprising that they all received non-type specific units. Noteworthy is the significant proportion of A and B blood type patients receiving ABO type-specific units, ranging from 74-85% for A blood type and 70-90% for B blood type. Conclusion Our institution’s commitment to hemovigilance and conservation of O units is evident in the relatively high percentage of patients receiving ABO-type specific units. It is worth noting that we are a tertiary institution mainly serving the African American population. This creates a unique need to maintain adequate O units for emergency transfusion and increase the possibility of using O units to meet our sickle cell disease patients’ needs. Given that our demographics are primarily D+, some of our D- units were utilized in D+ patients. By adhering to our transfusion protocol and surveying our patients’ ABO and D blood types, we can anticipate our inventory needs and help prevent future O pRBC shortages.