Variation in use of blood transfusion in coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

This observational cohort study of 102,470patients undergoing primary isolated CABG with cardiopulmonary bypass during calendar year 2008 at 798sites in the United States reports a wide variability in the rate of transfusion of blood components. Hospital characteristics and case mix explained only 11 and 20% of the variation, respectively. These results clearly emphasize the necessity to develop specific blood conservation programs adapted to each hospital in order to improve blood transfusion practice.

– Philippe Van der Linden