Guide Transfusion Therapy Research Articles

Impact on Blood Product Utilization with Thromboelastography Guided Resuscitation for Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage.

Thromboelastography (TEG) can guide transfusion therapy in trauma and has been associated with decreased transfusion requirements. This population differs from the medical population where the most common bleeding source is gastrointestinal hemorrhage (GIB). The utility of TEG in patients with acute GIB is not well described. We sought to assess whether the use of TEG impacts blood product utilization in patients with medical GIB. A retrospective study looking at all adult patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of GIB to the George Washington University Intensive Care Unit (ICU) between 01/01/2017 to 12/31/2019. The primary intervention was the use of TEG to guide blood product resuscitation in addition to standard of care (TEG arm) versus standard of care alone (non-TEG arm). The primary outcome was the total number of blood products utilized. Patients in the TEG arm used more blood products compared to the non-TEG arm (9.10 vs 3.60, p < 0.001). There was no difference in secondary endpoints except for an increased requirement for mechanical ventilation within the TEG arm (26.2% vs 13.4%, p = 0.018). The use of TEG to guide resuscitation in patients with acute GIB may be associated with increased blood product utilization without any clinical benefit to patient-centered outcomes.

CREST: clinical bleeding and risk evaluation in hematology-oncology patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of thromboelastography's role.

Thrombocytopenia and bleeding are common complications of hematologic malignancies. Often, prophylactic platelets are administered to minimize bleeding risk, based on total platelet count (TPC). However, TPC is a poor predictor, and does not provide rapid information. This review presents a novel prospective in the use of point-of-care viscoelastic studies to assess bleeding risk and guide transfusion therapy in a haematological oncological population, where its use can be extended to a ward level as a bedside test. Monitoring TEG maximum amplitude trends may be useful to guide transfusion protocols, especially for patients with total platelet counts ranging 30–100 × 109/l. Fibrinogen assessment in this group of patients may identify other blood components that require replacing to reduce bleeding risk. Normal maximum amplitude parameters for patients with low platelet counts can be a reassuring sign. This meta-analysis serves to remind the reader that absolute platelet quantity does not equate to the quality of clot formation.

High-rise syndrome in cats and dogs.

To review the current literature pertaining to the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of injuries sustained from high-rise syndrome in cats and dogs. High-rise syndrome is defined as a fall from a height of 2 or more stories that results in a constellation of injuries, including thoracic, abdominal, orthopedic, and orofacial trauma. Animals often fall after slipping from windowsills, engaging in mating behavior, or chasing prey. Cats suffer less severe injuries than dogs due to their "righting reflex" and smaller body mass. Affected animals are younger, and the frequency of falls is higher in warmer months. Physical examination coupled with radiographs, ultrasound, and computed tomography can diagnose a myriad of injuries that include pneumothorax, pleural or abdominal effusion, orthopedic fractures, and orofacial injuries. Bloodwork may identify anemia, thrombocytopenia, or increases in hepatic, renal, or pancreatic values consistent with trauma to these organs. Serial venous or arterial blood gas can help determine the severity of respiratory compromise and influence resuscitative efforts. Traditional coagulation tests and thromboelastography can assess trauma-induced coagulopathy and guide transfusion therapy. Animals presenting in shock require hemodynamic stabilization. Initial resuscitation may incorporate crystalloids, colloids, blood products, and analgesics. Thoracic injuries may require oxygen, thoracocentesis, chest tube placement, and mechanical ventilation. Fractures and wounds are decontaminated and splinted/bandaged, with definitive fixation pursued after stabilization. Abdominal injuries are managed medically unless there is severe ongoing bleeding, sepsis, or injury to the urinary tract. In feline high-rise syndrome, the prognosis is generally excellent following treatment, with survival exceeding 90%. Canine literature is sparse. The largest retrospective study reported a >90% survival to discharge and a greater need for surgical stabilization in this species. There are no prognostic factors identified that are associated with survival for either species.

A look into hemostatic characteristics during pediatric liver transplantation using the thromboelastometry (ROTEM® ) test.

There is a paucity of evidence about the coagulation profile regarding the complexity of children undergoing liver transplantation (LT). This study aimed to investigate intraoperative hemostatic changes during pediatric LT according to the etiology for LT and examine the ability of rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM® , TEM International GmbH, Munich, Germany) as a point-of-care monitoring method. We evaluated 106 patients aged 3months to 17years undergoing LT for acute liver failure (ALF) and chronic liver disease, which consists of patients with cholestatic disease, metabolic/genetic disease, and cancer. A total of 731 ROTEM® measurements, including 301 ellagic acid to initiate clotting via the intrinsic pathway, 172 tissue factor to initiate the extrinsic clotting cascade (EXTEM), and 258 cytochalasin D to inhibit platelet activity reflecting fibrinogen (FIBTEM), were analyzed at predetermined time points (the preanhepatic, anhepatic, and postreperfusion phases). We simultaneously conducted conventional coagulation tests. In children with ALF, preanhepatic measurements of conventional coagulation tests and ROTEM® showed a more hypocoagulable state than other diseases. During LT, the coagulation profile was deranged, with a prolonged clotting time and reduced clot firmness, changes that were more profound in the cholestatic disease group. Maximum clot firmness (MCF) on EXTEM and FIBTEM were well correlated with the platelet count and fibrinogen concentration (r=0.830, p<0.001 and r=0.739, p<0.001, respectively). On the EXTEM, MCF with 30mm predicted a platelet count <30,000/mm3 (area under the curve, 0.985), and 6mm predicted a fibrinogen concentration <100mg/dl on the FIBTEM (area under the curve, 0.876). However, the activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time were significant but only weakly correlated with the clotting time on the ROTEM® . In children undergoing LT, coagulation profiles depend on the etiology for LT. During LT, ROTEM® parameters could help detect thrombocytopenia and hypofibrinogenemia and guide transfusion therapy as a point-of-care monitoring method.

PCV28 Cost-effectiveness Analysis Of Viscoelastic Point-Of-Care Testing Versus Standard Laboratory Tests For Guiding Transfusion Therapy In Brazilian Patients Who Underwent Complex Cardiac Surgery

In patients undergoing complex cardiac surgery, periprocedural significant bleeding is amongst the most alarming complications. Transfusion of allogeneic red blood cells may be necessary in at least half of the procedures with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), this, in turn, is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and costs. This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of viscoelastic point-of-care testing (VE POC) vs standard laboratory tests (SLTs) for guiding transfusion therapy in Brazilian patients who underwent complex cardiac surgery in terms of quality adjusted life years (QALY).

Do the small blood cells have a big impact as prognosticators in dengue – A study

Dengue is an arboviral disease endemic in India. Severe dengue has a high morbidity. The progression to severe dengue may be diagnosed by clinical and lab parameters, are of the useful lab tests is platelet count, as thrombocytopenia is a consistent feature in dengue. There is confusion about the role thrombocytopenia in dengue. Our study aims to study the platelet count patterns and its relevance to severity of dengue.We conducted a study on 132 dengue positive cases with relevant hematology data in November 2016. We had predominance of young people and males in the study group. Thrombocytopenia was uniform across the ages and sexes. Severe thrombocytopenia constituted 56%, had significant association with atypical lymphocytosis, rise in hematocrit and antibody patterns.Platelet counts are marker of dengue, can serve as predicators of severity, platelet count monitoring helps guide transfusion therapy.

Performance characteristics of thromboelastometry assays using incompletely filled and prolonged stored samples.

Thromboelastometry (TEM) is often used to guide transfusion therapy in patients with massive bleeding. The effect of testing incompletely filled samples and those stored for a prolonged time at 4°C was investigated. Whole blood samples were collected from 15 healthy blood donors and were pooled according to ABO group. From these pools, aliquots were taken and diluted to produce final whole blood:citrate buffer ratios ranging from 90:10 (fully filled sample) to 40:60 (extremely under filled samples). These samples were then tested by EXTEM, INTEM, and FIBTEM on calibrated ROTEM delta machines. Separately, the four samples at 90:10 dilution were kept at 4°C for 16-20 hours and then retested on the ROTEM machines. All of the samples at the 90:10 and 80:20 (half-filled sample) whole blood:citrate buffer dilutions demonstrated ROTEM parameters within their respective reference ranges, although the samples from the 80:20 dilution tended to demonstrate slightly longer or slower times, depending on each ROTEM parameter, compared to the completely filled samples. All of the samples with more dilute whole blood to citrate buffer ratios (i.e., 70:30 to 40:60) yielded abnormal TEM results. The TEM results for the 90:10 dilution samples exposed to 16-20 hours of storage at 4°C were within the reference intervals. Completely and half-filled samples, and completely filled samples after prolonged cold storage, produced normal ROTEM results. Tubes that are less than half-filled should not be used for ROTEM testing.

Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Palliative Care: A Survey of Palliative Care Physicians

Background: Red blood cell transfusion is one therapeutic option for the treatment of anemia. Current transfusion practices and factors influencing the decision to prescribe this therapy are not well understood. Objective: To explore current transfusion practices, attitudes, and factors that influence the decision to transfuse among palliative care physicians. Design: Self-administered questionnaire addressing clinical experiences and decision making pertaining to blood transfusion. Setting/Subjects: Specialist palliative care physicians at two Canadian academic centers. Measurements: Descriptive, presented as the number/proportion of respondents indicating a specific answer. Results: Of 62 physicians surveyed, 29 (47%) responded to the study questionnaire. For patients with solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, respectively, 79% and 82% of respondents reported prescribing blood transfusion; 59% and 46% reported that they would seldom recommend its discontinuation. Factors influential in the decision to transfuse included symptoms of anemia (97%), bleeding (62%), low hemoglobin (52%, of whom 87% indicated a hemoglobin threshold <70 g/L), and pressure from patients/families (48%). Physicians routinely reassessed patients for symptomatic improvement following transfusion, but 72% did not use an objective symptom scale. Twenty-six (90%) respondents believed that transfusion provided symptomatic benefit; the majority had observed adverse reactions to transfusion. Most perceived a lack of evidence to guide transfusion therapy in palliative care, and 79% indicated willingness to enroll their patients in a trial aiming to address this question. Conclusions: Most palliative care specialists consider red blood cell transfusion to have a role in symptom management, but many clinical and nonclinical factors influence their decisions to provide or discontinue transfusions. Prospective clinical trials will likely be needed to inform transfusion practices in this population.

Thromboelastometry-guided hemostatic therapy for hemorrhagic shock in the postoperative period of vascular surgery: a case report

BackgroundHemorrhagic shock is a medical emergency that often complicates vascular surgery and can lead to death. Hemorrhagic shock is characterized by hypoperfusion and hemodynamic abnormalities leading to the collapse of homeostasis due to massive blood loss. Early diagnosis is critical for a favorable outcome. Thromboelastometry has been considered an effective tool for bleeding management in critically ill patients. Thromboelastometry can guide transfusion therapy quickly, reducing the need for blood products. Therefore, it could be an alternative test to guide hemostatic therapy in complex cases of hemorrhagic shock as a result of vascular surgeries. We report our successful experience with a case of hemorrhagic shock in postoperative care in vascular surgery, in which bleeding management was guided by thromboelastometry and bleeding control was achieved with hemostatic drugs and coagulation factor concentrates.Case presentationWe report a case of an 82-year-old Afro-Brazilian man who presented to the intensive care unit with hemorrhagic shock in the postoperative period of vascular surgery. He underwent surgery for correction of iliac artery aneurysm with endoleak. His laboratory tests revealed severe anemia (hemoglobin 7.4 mg/dL), metabolic acidosis (bicarbonate 10 mEq/L, pH 7.11), acute kidney injury (creatinine 3.1 mg/dL), thrombocytopenia (platelets count 83 × 103/mm3), hypofibrinogenemia (70 mg/dL), international nationalized ratio 1.95, activated partial thromboplastin time 64.5 seconds, and lactate 87 mmol/L. There was active bleeding in surgical site. Bleeding management was guided by thromboelastometry. The first test showed fulminant hyperfibrinolysis, which was corrected with the administration of tranexamic acid. The second thromboelastometry test showed improvement of hyperfibrinolysis but severe hypocoagulability. Fibrinogen concentrate, platelet apheresis, cryoprecipitate, and prothrombin complex concentrate were sequentially administrated. Thromboelastometry was completely corrected after 2 hours. Arteriography to evaluate mechanical cause of bleeding was normal. No more bleeding was identified, and neither was any further transfusion needed. He was discharged from the intensive care unit from the ward 3 days after admission.ConclusionsThromboelastometry may be considered a useful, feasible and safe tool to monitor and manage coagulopathy in patients with hemorrhagic shock. Moreover, it has the potential benefit of allowing rapid diagnosis, goal-directed therapy with hemostatic drugs and coagulation factor concentrates and thus, avoiding unnecessary blood component transfusion.

Multiscale systems biology of trauma-induced coagulopathy.

Trauma with hypovolemic shock is an extreme pathological state that challenges the body to maintain blood pressure and oxygenation in the face of hemorrhagic blood loss. In conjunction with surgical actions and transfusion therapy, survival requires the patient's blood to maintain hemostasis to stop bleeding. The physics of the problem are multiscale: (a) the systemic circulation sets the global blood pressure in response to blood loss and resuscitation therapy, (b) local tissue perfusion is altered by localized vasoregulatory mechanisms and bleeding, and (c) altered blood and vessel biology resulting from the trauma as well as local hemodynamics control the assembly of clotting components at the site of injury. Building upon ongoing modeling efforts to simulate arterial or venous thrombosis in a diseased vasculature, computer simulation of trauma-induced coagulopathy is an emerging approach to understand patient risk and predict response. Despite uncertainties in quantifying the patient's dynamic injury burden, multiscale systems biology may help link blood biochemistry at the molecular level to multiorgan responses in the bleeding patient. As an important goal of systems modeling, establishing early metrics of a patient's high-dimensional trajectory may help guide transfusion therapy or warn of subsequent later stage bleeding or thrombotic risks. This article is categorized under: Analytical and Computational Methods > Computational Methods Biological Mechanisms > Regulatory Biology Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Mechanistic Models.

Thromboelastometry profile in critically ill patients: A single-center, retrospective, observational study.

BackgroundTransfusion therapy is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and costs. Conventional coagulation tests (CCT) are weak bleeding predictors, poorly reflecting coagulation in vivo. Thromboelastometry (ROTEM) provides early identification of coagulation disorders and can guide transfusion therapy by goals, reducing blood components transfusion.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to describe coagulation profile of critically ill patients using ROTEM and evaluate the association between CCT and thromboelastometry.MethodsThis is a retrospective, observational study conducted in medical-surgical intensive care unit (ICU). Adult patients (≥18 years) admitted to ICU between November 2012 and December 2014, in whom ROTEM analyses were performed for bleeding management were included in this study. The first ROTEM and CCT after ICU admission were recorded simultaneously. Additionally, we collected data on blood components transfusion and hemostatic agents immediately after laboratory tests results.ResultsThe study included 531 patients. Most ROTEM tests showed normal coagulation profile [INTEM (54.8%), EXTEM (54.1%) and FIBTEM (53.3%)] with divergent results in relation to CCT: low platelet count (51.8% in INTEM and 55.9% in EXTEM); prolonged aPTT (69.9% in INTEM and 63.7% in EXTEM) and higher INR (23.8% in INTEM and 27.4% in EXTEM). However 16,7% of patients with normocoagulability in ROTEM received platelet concentrates and 10% fresh frozen plasma.ConclusionThe predominant ROTEM profile observed in this sample of critically ill patients was normal. In contrast, CCT suggested coagulopathy leading to a possibly unnecessary allogenic blood component transfusion. ROTEM test may avoid inappropriate allogeneic blood products transfusion in these patients.

Adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: an international survey of transfusion and anticoagulation techniques.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a method of life support for either isolated cardiac failure or respiratory failure, with or without cardiac failure. When used for hemodynamic support, the ECMO circuit presents a non-endothelialized, artificial surface to blood inciting an inflammatory response which activates haemostatic pathways. Anticoagulation may complicate a pre-existing coagulopathy and/or inadequate surgical hemostasis of varying severity. There is no standardized method to achieve and monitor anticoagulation or guide transfusion therapy during ECMO. We tested the hypothesis that institutions across the world conduct similar management of anticoagulation and transfusion during adult ECMO support. This is a descriptive, self-reporting cross-sectional survey of anticoagulation and transfusion practice for patients age 18 or older on ECMO. This 38 multiple-choice question survey was sent to 166 institutions, internationally, utilizing adult ECMO. About 32·4% (54) of institutions responded. Responses were anonymously collected. Descriptive analyses were calculated. Our findings indicate there appears to be a significant practice variation among institutions regarding anticoagulation and transfusion during adult ECMO support. The lack of standard practices among institutions may reflect a paucity of data regarding optimal anticoagulation and transfusion for patients requiring ECMO. Standardized protocols for anticoagulation and transfusion may help increase quality of care for and reduce morbidity, mortality and cost to patients and healthcare centres. Further study is required for standardized, high quality care.

A new era of thromboelastometry.

ABSTRACTSevere hemorrhage with necessity of allogeneic blood transfusion is common complication in intensive care unit and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Prompt recognition and treatment of bleeding causes becomes essential for the effective control of hemorrhage, rationalizing the use of allogeneic blood components, and in this way, preventing an occurrence of their potential adverse effects. Conventional coagulation tests such as prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time present limitations in predicting bleeding and guiding transfusion therapy in critically ill patients. Viscoelastic tests such as thromboelastography and rotational thromboelastometry allow rapid detection of coagulopathy and goal-directed therapy with specific hemostatic drugs. The new era of thromboelastometry relies on its efficacy, practicality, reproducibility and cost-effectiveness to establish itself as the main diagnostic tool and transfusion guide in patients with severe active bleeding.

Thromboelastography (TEG).

Thromboelastography (TEG) has been used for decades to guide transfusion therapy during cardiac and hepatic surgeries. Renewed interest and improved technology have led to wider applications of TEG in other areas of hemostasis. To correctly interpret the data generated and to validate outcomes, it is important to improve the understanding of the differences in the currently available assay procedures, the issues related to sample activation, and the importance of the use of appropriate controls. Current TEG assays use a variety of samples and can vary slightly in the procedures. In this chapter, we very briefly review TEG applications and discuss interpretations, normal ranges, and reference controls, and we explain the method of TEG run using standard citrated native blood samples. We provide detailed technical steps and tips. We discuss precautions and issues related to the assay, which we hope can guide toward better application and data interpretation.

Thromboelastography in the Characterization of Coagulation Status in Antiphospholipid Syndrome

INTRODUCTION/ BACKGROUNDAntiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an immunologic disorder characterized by thrombotic or obstetrical complications and persistent positivity of anticardiolipin antibodies, lupus anticoagulant, or beta-2 glycoprotein-1 antibodies. Bleeding complications in APS may sometimes occur, in the form of adrenal hemorrhage, immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), or, rarely, the lupus anticoagulant-hypoprothrombinemia syndrome (LAHS). Traditional laboratory markers of coagulation are not reliable in evaluating thrombotic or hemorrhagic risk in APS due to baseline prolongation of the prothrombin time (PT) and/or partial thromboplastin time (PTT). Thromboelastography (TEG) is a global assay of hemostasis that has been utilized in trauma surgery, emergency medicine, and chronic liver disease to identify specific coagulation defects and guide transfusion therapy. We sought to explore the role of TEG in evaluation of APS.METHODSTEG was performed on whole blood obtained from 10 patients with APS (n = 6), catastrophic APS (CAPS; n = 3), or antiphospholipid antibodies without thrombosis (n = 1). Chronic aspirin (ASA) was used as monotherapy in 2 patients; 8 were on either warfarin or enoxaparin (some in combination with ASA). Immunomodulatory treatments included hydroxychloroquine, mycophenolate, azathioprine, monthly IVIG, rituximab, or eculizumab. Prior to blood collection, patients were instructed to hold ASA for 7 days, warfarin for 5 days, or enoxaparin for 2 days, as appropriate. For patients on enoxaparin in whom cessation of anticoagulation was not feasible, heparinase was added to samples for TEG measurements. The following data was compiled for each patient: baseline PTT; lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin IgG and IgM, and beta-2 glycoprotein-1 IgG and IgM titers; and thrombotic, hemorrhagic, and obstetrical events.RESULTSBaseline PTT was prolonged in most patients. TEG values were within or near the normal range in almost all cases, with no consistent differences among patients with thrombotic or obstetrical APS, CAPS, or antiphospholipid antibodies without thrombosis. R time (a measure of clot initiation) was mildly prolonged in 3 cases and minimally reduced in 1. One patient with lupus, ITP, arterial and venous thrombosis, and multiple miscarriages showed minor prolongation of K time (a measure of time to maximum clot amplification) and a slight decrease in □ angle (a measure of thrombin burst). LY30 (a measure of fibrinolysis) was normal in all cases. One patient with LAHS and severe hemorrhagic complications had marked prolongation of R and K times and marked reduction of □ angle and MA (a measure of clot tensile strength), consistent with a strong bleeding phenotype.CONCLUSIONSDespite abnormal baseline coagulation studies, APS patients generally do not demonstrate a major bleeding propensity in global hemostasis assays. TEG may have potential utility in identifying APS patients with bleeding due to LAHS. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Challenges with Navigating the Precarious Hemostatic Balance during Extracorporeal Life Support: Implications for Coagulation and Transfusion Management.

For the past four decades, extracorporeal life support (ECLS) has been used to treat critically ill adult and pediatric patients with cardiac and/or respiratory failure, and there are increasingly numbers of centers worldwide performing ECLS for numerous indications. Despite the progress with advancing the technology, hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications are frequently reported and associated with worse outcomes, but the exact cause is often elusive or multifactorial. As a result of the interaction between blood and an artificial circuit, anticoagulation is necessary and there is resultant activation of coagulation, fibrinolysis, as well as, an increased inflammatory response. While unfractionated heparin (UFH) remains the mainstay anticoagulant used during ECLS, there is a paucity of published data to develop a universal anticoagulation guideline and centers are forced to create individualized protocols to guide anticoagulation management while lacking expertise. From an international survey, centers often use a combination of tests, which in turn result in discordant results and confused management. Studies are urgently needed to investigate optimization of current anticoagulation strategies with UFH, as well as, use of alternative anticoagulants and non-thrombogenic biomaterials. Blood transfusion during extracorporeal support typically occurs for several reasons, which includes circuit priming, restoration of oxygen carrying capacity, maintenance of a hemostatic balance, and treatment of hemorrhagic complications. As a result, the majority of patients will have been exposed to at least one blood product during extracorporeal support and transfusion utilization is high. ECLS Centers have adopted transfusion thresholds based upon practice rather than evidence as there have been no prospective studies investigating the efficacy of red cell (RBC) transfusion in patients receiving extracorporeal support. In addition, RBC transfusion has been associated with increased mortality in ECLS in several retrospective studies. Additional studies are needed to establish evidence based thresholds for transfusion support and diagnostics to guide transfusion therapy to assess efficacy of transfusion in this population, as well as, exploration of alternatives to transfusion.

Five-Minute Parameter of Thromboelastometry Is Sufficient to Detect Thrombocytopenia and Hypofibrinogenaemia in Patients Undergoing Liver Transplantation

Abstract Background Early detection of coagulopathy is important to prevent bleeding during liver transplantation (LT). Rotation thromboelastometry (ROTEM ® ) provides the earliest parameter of clot amplitudes at 5 min (A5). We evaluated whether A5 correlates with platelet count (PLT) and fibrinogen concentration (Fib) and can predict thrombocytopenia and hypofibrinogenaemia in hypocoagulable patients undergoing living-donor LT (LDLT). Methods A total of 3446 retrospective ROTEM ® measurements, including 1139 EXTEM, 1182 INTEM, and 1125 FIBTEM, with simultaneously measured PLT and Fib, were analysed during LDLT in 239 patients. The correlations between A5 and maximum clot firmness (MCF) index, PLT, and Fib were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic analysis with area under the curve (AUC) was used to assess A5 thresholds predictive of PLT and Fib. Results The median PLT was 47 000 mm −3 and the median Fib was 100 mg dl −1 during LDLT. The A5 parameters of EXTEM (A5 EXTEM ) and INTEM (A5 INTEM ) were highly correlated with MCF ( r =0.96 and r =0.95, respectively), PLT ( r =0.76 and r =0.77, respectively), and Fib ( r =0.63 and r =0.64, respectively). A5 of FIBTEM (A5 FIBTEM ) was also correlated with MCF ( r =0.91) and Fib ( r =0.75). A5 EXTEM thresholds of 15 and 19 mm predicted PLT −3 (AUC=0.90) and −3 (AUC=0.87), respectively, whereas A5 FIBTEM 4 mm predicted Fib −1 (AUC=0.86). Biases from A5 EXTEM and A5 FIBTEM to their MCFs were 16.4 and 1.3 mm, respectively. Conclusions A5 as an early variable of clot firmness is effective in detecting critically low PLT and Fib. A5 can therefore be a reliable fast index guiding transfusion therapy in hypocoagulable patients undergoing LDLT.

Five-minute parameter of thromboelastometry is sufficient to detect thrombocytopenia and hypofibrinogenaemia in patients undergoing liver transplantation

BackgroundEarly detection of coagulopathy is important to prevent bleeding during liver transplantation (LT). Rotation thromboelastometry (ROTEM®) provides the earliest parameter of clot amplitudes at 5 min (A5). We evaluated whether A5 correlates with platelet count (PLT) and fibrinogen concentration (Fib) and can predict thrombocytopenia and hypofibrinogenaemia in hypocoagulable patients undergoing living-donor LT (LDLT). MethodsA total of 3446 retrospective ROTEM® measurements, including 1139 EXTEM, 1182 INTEM, and 1125 FIBTEM, with simultaneously measured PLT and Fib, were analysed during LDLT in 239 patients. The correlations between A5 and maximum clot firmness (MCF) index, PLT, and Fib were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic analysis with area under the curve (AUC) was used to assess A5 thresholds predictive of PLT and Fib. ResultsThe median PLT was 47 000 mm−3 and the median Fib was 100 mg dl−1 during LDLT. The A5 parameters of EXTEM (A5EXTEM) and INTEM (A5INTEM) were highly correlated with MCF (r=0.96 and r=0.95, respectively), PLT (r=0.76 and r=0.77, respectively), and Fib (r=0.63 and r=0.64, respectively). A5 of FIBTEM (A5FIBTEM) was also correlated with MCF (r=0.91) and Fib (r=0.75). A5EXTEM thresholds of 15 and 19 mm predicted PLT<30 000 mm−3 (AUC=0.90) and <50 000 mm−3 (AUC=0.87), respectively, whereas A5FIBTEM 4 mm predicted Fib<100 mg dl−1 (AUC=0.86). Biases from A5EXTEM and A5FIBTEM to their MCFs were 16.4 and 1.3 mm, respectively. ConclusionsA5 as an early variable of clot firmness is effective in detecting critically low PLT and Fib. A5 can therefore be a reliable fast index guiding transfusion therapy in hypocoagulable patients undergoing LDLT.

Evaluation of noninvasive hemoglobin measurements in trauma patients

BackgroundReliable, accurate, noninvasive, and continuous determination of hemoglobin would be an important advance in the care of trauma patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of the Masimo Radical 7 device in severely injured trauma patients. MethodsHighest level trauma activation patients were enrolled over a 1-year period. Laboratory hemoglobin values were compared with Masimo hemoglobin values using Bland-Altman analysis. ResultsA total of 525 patients were enrolled in the study. Comparison of 861 paired values from 418 patients showed a variance of 3.89 to −3.84 g/dL, showing a nonsignificant correlation between Masimo hemoglobin and laboratory hemoglobin values. ConclusionsThe Masimo Radical 7 system evaluated in this study holds promise, but it is not ready to be used as an initial noninvasive evaluation tool in the acute treatment of severely injured trauma patients. There was a poor correlation between Masimo hemoglobin and laboratory hemoglobin and large numbers of missing data. On the basis of the poor correlation, the Masimo Radical 7 device cannot currently be used to guide transfusion therapy.

Thromboelastometry guided therapy of severe bleeding

SummaryBoth, severe haemorrhage and blood transfusion are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is of particular importance to stop perioperative bleeding as fast and as possible to avoid unnecessary transfusion. Viscoelastic test (ROTEM® or TEG®) allow for early prediction of massive transfusion and goal-directed therapy with specific haemostatic drugs, coagulation factor concentrates, and blood products. Growing consensus points out, that plasma-based coagulation screening tests like aPTT and PT are inappropriate for monitoring coagulo pathy or guide transfusion therapy. Increasing evidence of more than 5000 surgical or trauma patients points towards the beneficial effects of a thrombelastography or –metry based approach in diagnosis and goal-directed therapy of perioperative massive haemorrhage. The Essener Runde task force is a group of clinicians of various specialties (anaesthesiology, intensive care, haemostaseology, haematology, internal medicine, transfusion medicine, surgery) interested in perioperative coagulation management. The ROTEM diagnostic algorithm of the Essener Runde task force was created to standardise and simplify the interpretation of ROTEM® results in perioperative settings and to present their possible implications for therapeutic interventions in severe bleeding. To exemplify, this text mainly focuses on coagulation management in trauma.