A prospective multi-faceted interventional study of blood bank technologist screening of red blood cell transfusion orders: The START study.

BACKGROUND: Transfusion of red blood cells (RBC) is a common procedure, which when prescribed inappropriately can result in adverse patient outcomes. This study sought to determine the impact of a multi-faceted intervention on unnecessary RBC transfusions at hospitals with a baseline appropriateness below 90%. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A prospective medical chart audit of RBC transfusions was conducted across 15 hospitals. For each site, 10 RBCs per month transfused to inpatients were audited for a 5-month pre- and 10-month post-intervention period, with each transfusion adjudicated for appropriateness based on pre-set criteria. Hospitals with appropriateness rates below 90% underwent a 3-month intervention which included: adoption of standardized RBC guidelines, staff education, and prospective transfusion order screening by blood bank technologists. Proportions of RBC transfusions adjudicated as appropriate and the total number of RBC units transfused per month in the pre- and post-intervention period were examined. RESULTS: Over the 15-month audit period, at the 13 hospital sites with a baseline appropriateness below 90%, 1950 patients were audited of which 81.2% were adjudicated as appropriate. Proportions of appropriateness and single-unit orders increased from 73.5% to 85% and 46.2% to 68.2%, respectively from pre- to post-intervention (P < .0001). Pre- and post-transfusion hemoglobin levels and the total number of RBCs transfused decreased from baseline (P < .05). The median pre-transfusion hemoglobin decreased from a baseline of 72.0 g/L to 69.0 g/L in the post-intervention period (P < .0001). RBC transfusions per acute inpatient days decreased significantly in intervention hospitals, but not in control hospitals (P < .001). The intervention had no impact on patient length of stay, need for intensive care support, or in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: This multifaceted intervention demonstrated a marked improvement in RBC transfusion appropriateness and reduced overall RBC utilization without impacts on patient safety.

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy associated with intravascular occlusive fibrin thrombi.

Cutaneous collagenous vasculopathy (CCV) is a rare cutaneous microangiopathy that clinically resembles generalized essential telangiectasia with only 12 cases reported to date. The perivascular fibrosis is thought to be due to production of abnormal collagen by veil cells in the outer vessel walls as a result of unknown factors. This report is of an 84-year-old male with progressive telangiectasia. Biopsies showed characteristic features of CCV. In addition, there were multiple intravascular fibrin thrombi, some organizing and associated with endothelial cell hyperplasia with recanalization reminiscent of glomeruloid bodies and simulating reactive angioendotheliomatosis (RAE). Histochemically and ultrastructurally fibrin was noted within the vessel walls integrating into the fibrous tissue around the vessels; however, the patient had no evidence of coagulation disorder, cryoglobulinemia or cold agglutinemia. Immunofluorescence showed fibrinogen within the vessel walls but no immunoglobulins or C3. As well, there were minimal inflammatory cells. This suggests pauci-inflammatory injury to the endothelial cells by unknown angiogenic factors causing local intravascular fibrin thrombi with fibrin leaking and incorporating into the vessel walls, eventually leading to reparative perivascular fibrosis. This case suggests that some cases of CCV are related to a primary local intravascular occlusive thrombotic microangiopathy. However, the primary triggering factor causing the endothelial cell damage has yet to be elucidated.

Attenuation of free radical production and paracrystalline inclusions by creatine supplementation in a patient with a novel cytochrome b mutation.

Mitochondrial cytopathies are associated with increased free radical generation and paracrystalline inclusions. Paracrystalline inclusions were serendipitously found in a young male athlete with a very high respiratory exchange ratio during steady-state exercise; he also had an unusually low aerobic capacity. Direct sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) coding regions revealed a novel missense mutation (G15497A) resulting in a glycine-->serine conversion at a highly conserved site in the cytochrome b gene in the subject, his mother, and sister. Cybrids, prepared by fusion of the subject's platelets with either U87MG rho degrees or SH-SY5Y rho degrees cells, generated higher basal levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), had a lower adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, and were more sensitive to oxygen and glucose deprivation and peroxynitrite generation compared to control cybrids with wild-type mtDNA. Cell survival was significantly enhanced with 50 mmol/L creatine monohydrate (CM) administration. The subject was also treated with CM (10 g/d) for a period of 5 weeks and a repeat muscle biopsy showed no paracrystalline inclusions. The results suggest that the development of exercise-induced paracrystalline inclusions may be influenced by the G15497A mtDNA mutation, and that CM mitigates against the pathological consequences of this mutation.