Childhood anemia in Africa: To transfuse or not transfuse?

Abstract

Blood transfusions are an important route for HIV transmission in Africa. To explore whether transfusions are necessary in the case management of childhood anemia, a randomized trial was performed in Ifakara, Tanzania, a holoendemic malaria region. 116 children were randomized to receive either treatment for malaria and hookworm alone or, in addition, a transfusion of whole blood which had been tested negative for antibodies against the human immunodeficiency virus. Mean packed cell volume (PCV) at admission was 14.0% in the transfusion and 14.4% in the no transfusion group. Children were followed up for 8 weeks with measurements of PCV at 2 days, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after study entry. PCV was similar in both groups after 4 and 8 weeks (22.9% in the transfusion and 23.6% in the no transfusion group). There was a trend towards more hospital admissions and deaths in the no transfusion group; however, 95% confidence intervals included both a beneficial and an adverse effect of blood transfusions. The costs and benefits of transfusion for childhood anemia in countries with a high HIV prevalence need to be considered carefully before a rational treatment policy can be adopted. For that purpose, a larger randomized trial is urgently needed.