Reducing blood product wastage through the inter-hospital redistribution of near-outdate inventory.

BACKGROUND: Hospital transfusion services order blood products to satisfy orders and maintain inventory levels during unexpected periods of increased blood demand. Surplus inventory may outdate before being allocated to a recipient. Blood product outdating is the largest contributor to blood wastage. STUDY DESIGN: A province-wide redistribution program was designed and implemented to redistribute near-outdate plasma protein and related blood products from low-usage to high-usage hospitals. Program operations and details are described in this paper. Two transport container configurations were designed and validated for transport of all blood products. A cost-analysis was performed to determine the effectiveness of this redistribution program. RESULTS: A total of 130 hospital transfusion services contributed at least one near-outdate blood product for redistribution between January 2012 and March 2020. These services redistributed 15,499 products through 3412 shipments, preventing the outdating of $17,570,700 CAD worth of product. Program costs were $14,900 for shipping and $30,000 for staffing. Failed time limits or non-compliance with packing configurations resulted in $388,200 worth of blood products (97 shipments containing 816 products) being discarded. Courier transport delays was the most common reason (42/97; 43%) for transport failure. CONCLUSION: Redistributing near-outdate blood products between hospitals is a feasible solution to minimize outdating. Despite heterogeneity of Canadian blood product inventory, all products (each with unique storage and transport requirements) were successfully redistributed in one of two validated and simple containers. Total operation costs of this program were small in comparison to the $17.6 million in savings associated with preventing the discard of outdated products.

Platelet and INR Thresholds and Bleeding Risk in Ultrasound Guided Percutaneous Liver Biopsy: A Before-After Implementation of the 2019 Society of Interventional Radiology Guidelines Observational Quality Improvement Study.

Purpose: To evaluate if implementation of the 2019 Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) guidelines for periprocedural management of bleeding risk in patients undergoing percutaneous ultrasound guided liver biopsy is associated with increased haemorrhagic adverse events, change in pre-procedural blood product utilization, and evaluation of guideline compliance rate at a single academic institution. Methods: Ultrasound guided percutaneous liver biopsies from (January 2019-January 2023) were retrospectively reviewed (n = 504), comparing biopsies performed using the 2012 SIR pre-procedural coagulation guidelines (n = 266) to those after implementation of the 2019 SIR pre-procedural guidelines (n = 238). Demographic, preprocedural transfusion, laboratory, and clinical data were reviewed. Chart review was conducted to evaluate the incidence of major bleeding adverse events defined as those resulting in transfusion, embolization, surgery, or death. Results: Implementation of the 2019 SIR periprocedural guidelines resulted in reduced guideline non-compliance related to the administration of blood products, from 5.3% to 1.7% (P = .01). The rate of pre-procedural transfusion remained the same pre and post guidelines at 0.8%. There was no statistically significant change in the incidence of bleeding adverse events, 0.8% pre guidelines versus 0.4% post (P = 1.0). Conclusion: Implementation of the 2019 SIR guidelines for periprocedural management of bleeding risk in patients undergoing percutaneous ultrasound guided liver biopsy did not result in an increase in bleeding adverse events or pre-procedural transfusion rates. The guidelines can be safely implemented in clinical practice with no increase in major adverse events.

Transfusion medicine curricular content for general pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists: A national multi-specialty Delphi consensus study.

BACKGROUND: Although pediatric residents frequently order blood products, transfusion medicine (TM) education is both limited and unstandardized during postgraduate training. Using Delphi methodology, this study aimed to identify and prioritize which pediatric TM curricular topics are most important to inform postgraduate training in TM for general pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists. METHODS: A national panel of experts iteratively rated potential curricular topics, on a 5-point scale, to determine their priority for inclusion within a TM curriculum. After each round, responses were analyzed. Topics receiving a mean rating <3/5 were removed from subsequent rounds and remaining topics were resent to the panel for further ratings until consensus was achieved, defined as Cronbach α ≥ 0.95. At conclusion of the Delphi process, topics rated ≥4/5 were considered core curricular topics, while topics rated ≥3 to <4 were considered extended topics. RESULTS: Forty-five TM experts from 17 Canadian institutions and 12 subspecialties completed the first Delphi round and 31 completed the second. Fifty-seven potential curricular topics were generated from a systematic literature review and Delphi panelists. Two survey rounds were completed before consensus was achieved. Seventy-three topics in six domains reached consensus: 31 core curricular topics and 42 extended topics. There were no significant differences in ratings between TM and non-TM specialists. DISCUSSION: A multispecialty Delphi panel reached consensus in identification of curricular topics for pediatric resident physicians. These results set the stage to develop a pediatric TM curriculum that will be foundational for pediatric trainees to enhance learning and improve transfusion safety.

Reconsidering sickle cell trait testing of red blood cell units allocated to children with sickle cell disease.

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell trait (SCT) testing of red blood cell (RBC) units is sometimes performed to identify and divert units containing hemoglobin S (HbS). Recipients strategically guarded against this exposure include fetuses, neonates, and children with sickle cell disease (SCD). The clinical necessity of this practice is unclear. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A one-year audit (2018) was performed at a pediatric tertiary care hospital that tests for SCT in RBC units prescribed to children with SCD and neonates. The impact of incorporating varying numbers of SCT RBC units in a single-unit top-up, partial-manual red cell exchange, and automated erythrocytapheresis was modeled in four typical-parameter age scenarios (2, 5, 10, and 18 years) sharing a high baseline HbS. Additionally, a survey assessing SCT testing practices was administered to Canadian pediatric hospital transfusion laboratories serving hemoglobinopathy programs. RESULTS: Of 2268 donor RBC units tested, one was positive for SCT (0.04% [95% CI: 0.01%-0.24%]), at a cost of $19,384.56 CAD. The impact of SCT unit incorporation on lost HbS reduction was modest (Δ1%-3% [automated erythrocytapheresis] and Δ4%-15% [top-up/partial manual exchange]). The survey (with all 13 sites responding) showed variable SCT testing practice; four (31%) do not test, four (31%) test for children with SCD, and six (46%) test for neonates. CONCLUSION: RBC SCT testing may be more costly than beneficial or necessary in children with SCD. As of 2019, our transfusion service has ceased SCT testing for this population. Further research in the fetal/neonatal populations is needed to overturn this entrenched practice.

Immunohematology testing using umbilical cord blood: review of the literature, survey of practice and guidance development.

BACKGROUND: Following delivery, blood tests are performed on umbilical cord blood (CB) to avoid neonatal venipuncture. Despite widespread and longstanding CB testing, no guidelines exist to suggest which immunohematology tests should be performed on CB. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed a scoping review, surveyed national practice, and developed guidance statements concerning CB testing. Database searches identified relevant articles. A survey was sent to all Canadian hospitals and transfusion laboratories that perform perinatal testing. A national panel of experts was convened to develop guidance statements. RESULTS: A total of 116 articles met the inclusion criteria and were summarized. Literature on CB testing is limited; few studies have investigated laboratory testing methodologies or validated CB test results with peripheral samples. The survey was completed by 580/597 institutions (97%); 85% were community hospitals and 16% had a neonatal intensive care unit. There is diversity in the types of CB tests performed and variability in practice. While most centers order appropriately, some laboratories routinely perform CB tests that are not clinically indicated (e.g., direct antiglobulin testing for all neonates) and other do not perform CB tests when results would be beneficial (e.g., phenotype on CB when mother has a clinically significant antibody). Fifteen guidance statements were developed. DISCUSSION: This study highlights variability in CB testing, likely reflecting evidence gaps, methodology differences between studies, and lack of guidelines. CB tests should only be performed when indicated and validated on this sample type. The presented guidance statements aim to standardize practice and encourage judicious CB sampling.

Impact of wait time from neoadjuvant chemotherapy to surgery in breast cancer: Does time to surgery affect patient outcomes? : Time from Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy to Surgery.

PURPOSE: The optimal time interval from neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) to surgery in patients with breast cancer has not been established. We investigated whether different time intervals impact the rate of pathologic complete response (pCR), disease free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), surgical complications, and rates of conversion from mastectomy to breast conserving surgery (BCS) in this population. METHODS: We identified patients who received NAC at the BC Cancer Agency followed by surgery from May 2012 to April 2018. Patients were grouped based on time interval between NAC and surgery: < 4 weeks, 4-8 weeks, and > 8 weeks. Kaplan Meier method was used to estimate DFS and OS. Rates of pCR between the time intervals were also compared. RESULTS: Of the 343 patients, 78 (22.8%) received surgery < 4 weeks, 233 (67.9%) received surgery between 4-8 weeks, and 32 (9.3%) received surgery > 8 weeks after NAC, with a median time to surgery (TTS) of 5.0 weeks. pCR was observed in 32.1%, 32.2%, and 28.1%, respectively (p = 0.90). Median follow-up time was 3.3 years. The 5-year DFS was 76%, 78%, and 70% (p = 0.89), respectively. The 5-year OS was 83%, 82%, and 78% (p = 0.33), respectively. No statistically significant differences were seen in surgical complications (p = 0.90), or rates of conversion from mastectomy to BCS (p = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: There were no statistically significant differences in pCR, DFS, OS, surgical complications, and rates of conversion from mastectomy to BCS, among breast cancer patients receiving surgery < 4 weeks, 4-8 weeks, or > 8 weeks after the last dose of NAC.

Increasing rates of screening and treatment of iron deficiency in ambulatory patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: a quality improvement cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is common in patients with heart failure (HF) and is associated with advanced HF and increased mortality. Intravenous iron supplementation increases exercise tolerance, improves quality of life, and decreases symptoms among patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and iron deficiency. Despite this, many patients are not screened or treated for IDA. We aimed to increase rates of screening and treatment of IDA among HF patients through the introduction of curated materials to aid HF clinicians with appropriate screening and treatment. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review to identify the baseline number of HFrEF patients screened and treated for IDA at two ambulatory cardiology clinics in Toronto, Ontario. A quality improvement initiative was then introduced, which consisted of education and curated materials to aid clinicians in the screening and treatment of IDA among HFrEF patients. The proportion of patients screened and treated for IDA preintervention and postintervention were compared using χ2 tests of Independence. RESULTS: In the preintervention cohort, 36.3% (n=45) of patients with anaemia were screened for IDA. Among those screened, 64.4% (n=29) had IDA. Only 17.2% (n=5) of these were treated with IV iron. After implementation of the quality improvement initiative, 90.9% (n=60) of patients with anaemia were screened for IDA (p<0.001) and 90.3% (n=28) of those with IDA were treated with IV iron (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The introduction of curated materials to aid clinicians was associated with increased rates of screening and treatment of IDA among ambulatory HFrEF patients. Further work is required to identify barriers and implement strategies to increase screening and treatment rates of IDA among HFrEF patients.