Recommendations on RBC Transfusion in Critically Ill Children With Nonlife-Threatening Bleeding or Hemorrhagic Shock From the Pediatric Critical Care Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative.

OBJECTIVES: To present the recommendations and supporting literature for RBC transfusions in critically ill children with bleeding developed by the Pediatric Critical Care Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative. DESIGN: Consensus conference series of international, multidisciplinary experts in RBC transfusion management of critically ill children. METHODS: The panel of 38 experts developed evidence-based and, when evidence was lacking, expert-based clinical recommendations as well as research priorities for RBC transfusions in critically ill children. The bleeding subgroup included five experts. Electronic searches were conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from 1980 to May 2017. Agreement was obtained using the Research and Development/UCLA Appropriateness Method. Results were summarized using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method. RESULTS: Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative Consensus Conference experts developed a total of six recommendations focused on transfusion in the critically ill child with acute bleeding. In critically ill children with nonlife-threatening bleeding, we recommend giving a RBC transfusion for a hemoglobin concentration less than 5 g/dL, and be considered for a hemoglobin concentration between 5 and 7 g/dL. In critically ill children with hemorrhagic shock, we suggest that RBCs, plasma and platelets transfusion ratio between 2:1:1 to 1:1:1 until the bleeding is no longer life-threatening. We recommend future studies to develop physiologic and laboratory measures to indicate the need for RBC transfusions, and to determine if goal directed hemostatic resuscitation improves survival. Finally, we recommend future studies to determine if low titer group O whole blood is more efficacious and safe compared with reconstituted whole blood in children with hemorrhagic shock. CONCLUSIONS: The Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative Consensus Conference developed pediatric specific recommendations regarding RBC transfusion management in the critically ill child with acute bleeding, as well as recommendations to help guide future research priorities.

Recommendations on RBC Transfusions in Critically Ill Children With Acute Respiratory Failure From the Pediatric Critical Care Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative.

OBJECTIVES: To present the recommendations and supporting literature for RBC transfusions in critically ill children with bleeding developed by the Pediatric Critical Care Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative. DESIGN: Consensus conference series of international, multidisciplinary experts in RBC transfusion management of critically ill children. METHODS: The panel of 38 experts developed evidence-based and, when evidence was lacking, expert-based clinical recommendations as well as research priorities for RBC transfusions in critically ill children. The respiratory subgroup included six experts. Electronic searches were conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from 1980 to May 2017. Agreement was obtained using the Research and Development/UCLA Appropriateness Method. Results were summarized using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method. RESULTS: Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative experts developed seven recommendations focused on children with acute respiratory failure. All recommendations reached agreement (> 80%). Transfusion of RBCs in children with respiratory failure with an hemoglobin level less than 5 g/dL was strongly recommended. It was strongly recommended that RBCs not be systematically administered to children with respiratory failure who are hemodynamically stable and who have a hemoglobin level greater than or equal to 7 g/dL. Experts could not make a recommendation for children with hemodynamic instability, with severe hypoxemia and/or with an hemoglobin level between 5 and 7 g/dL. Specific RBC transfusion strategies using physiologic-based metrics and biomarkers could not be elaborated. CONCLUSIONS: The Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative Consensus Conference developed specific recommendations regarding RBC transfusion management in critically ill children with respiratory failure, as well as recommendations to guide future research. Clinical recommendations emphasize relevant hemoglobin thresholds. Research recommendations emphasize the need to identify appropriate physiologic thresholds, suggest a better understanding of alternatives to RBC transfusion, and identify the need for better evidence on hemoglobin thresholds that might be used in specific subpopulations of critically ill children.

Recommendations on RBC Transfusion in Critically Ill Children With Acute Brain Injury From the Pediatric Critical Care Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative.

OBJECTIVES: To present the recommendations and supporting literature for RBC transfusions in critically ill children with acute brain injury developed by the Pediatric Critical Care Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative. DESIGN: Consensus conference series of international, multidisciplinary experts in RBC transfusion management of critically ill children. METHODS: The panel of 38 experts developed evidence-based, and when evidence was lacking, expert-based clinical recommendations as well as research priorities for RBC transfusions in critically ill children. The acute brain injury subgroup included three experts. Electronic searches were conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from 1980 to May 2017. Agreement was obtained using the Research and Development/UCLA Appropriateness Method. Results were summarized using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method. RESULTS: Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative Consensus Conference experts developed and agreed upon two clinical and two research recommendations focused on RBC transfusion in the critically ill child with acute brain injury. Recommendations include consideration of RBC transfusion for a hemoglobin concentration between 7 and 10 g/dL in patients with acute brain injury and do not support the use of brain tissue PO2 monitoring to guide RBC transfusion decisions. Research is needed to better understand transfusion thresholds and brain tissue monitoring for pediatric patients with acute brain injury. CONCLUSIONS: The Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative Consensus Conference developed pediatric-specific clinical and research recommendations regarding RBC transfusion in the critically ill child with acute brain injury. Although agreement among experts was very strong, the available pediatric evidence was extremely limited with major gaps in the literature.

Recommendations on RBC Transfusion Support in Children With Hematologic and Oncologic Diagnoses From the Pediatric Critical Care Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative.

OBJECTIVES: To present the recommendations and supporting evidence for RBC transfusions in critically ill children with hematologic and oncologic disease from the Pediatric Critical Care Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative. DESIGN: Consensus conference series of international, multidisciplinary experts in RBC transfusion management of critically ill children. METHODS: The panel of 38 experts developed evidence-based and, when evidence was lacking, expert-based clinical recommendations and research priorities for RBC transfusions in critically ill children. The hematologic/oncologic subgroup included seven experts. Electronic searches were conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from 1980 to May 2017. Agreement was obtained using the Research and Development/UCLA Appropriateness Method. Results were summarized using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method. RESULTS: The hematologic/oncologic subgroup developed 14 recommendations (seven clinical, seven research); all achieved greater than 80% agreement. In patients with sickle cell disease, Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative recommends: 1) RBC transfusion to achieve a target hemoglobin concentration of 10 g/dL rather than hemoglobin of less than 30% prior to surgical procedures requiring general anesthesia and 2) exchange transfusion over simple (nonexchange) transfusion if the child's condition is deteriorating (based on clinical judgment), otherwise a simple, nonexchange RBC transfusion is recommended. There is insufficient evidence to make recommendations on transfusion thresholds for patients with sickle cell disease prior to minor procedures, with acute stroke or with pulmonary hypertension. For patients with oncologic disease or undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant, a hemoglobin concentration of 7-8 g/dL is recommended. Due to lack of evidence, research is needed to clarify the appropriate transfusion thresholds in these patients. CONCLUSIONS: Transfusion and Anemia Expertise Initiative developed specific pediatric recommendations regarding RBC transfusion management in critically ill children with sickle cell disease, oncologic disease, and hematopoietic stem cell transplant and recommendations to help guide future research priorities.