Hypothesis: To assess the dose-response relation over a wide range of transfusion volumes for morbidity and mortality and other clinical predictors of adverse outcomes.
Methods: Analysis of over 270,000 patient records with over 3,500 receiving transfusions. Dose-response curves for transfusion volumes and outcomes were constructed.
Results: Increasing transfusion dose was linearly associated with increasing mortality and other complications.
Strengths: Large database, strong correlations found
Weaknesses: Observational, hospital billing data used, timing of complications was unknown
Key Point: Increasing transfusion dose is linearly associated with increasing mortality.