Transfusions en route to hospital result in better outcomes

Giving adult trauma patients transfusions of plasma or red blood cells en route to the hospital improves outcomes, U.S. researchers say. A study, led by Dr. John Holcomb of the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, found pre-hospital transfusions resulted in an 8 percent reduced risk of death within 6 hours after hospital admission and 40 percent improved coagulation status upon hospital admission. There was also a 13 percent improvement in survival-to-hospital discharge, although this was not statistically significant, the study said. "Earlier, effective intervention seems to have the best effect on outcomes, such as pre-hospital transfusions on trauma patients that can save lives," Holcomb said in a statement. Holcomb said the study involved 97 patients who received pre-hospital transfusions and 480 patients who didn't and served as controls. Patients arrived at the hospital either by ground or two different helicopter systems, one of which had thawed plasma and the others used only crystalloid resuscitation. Normal saline solution is the most common crystalloid fluid used. The findings were presented at the American Heart Association's scientific sessions in Dallas.