A National Survey of Outpatient Platelet Transfusion Practice. Issue 6 (26th August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: O'Brien, Kerry; Bakhtary, Sara; Benson, Kaaron; Stephens, Laura; Lu, Wen
• Is Part Of: American journal of clinical pathology. Volume 158:Issue 6(2022)
• Page Start: 687
• Page End: 691
• Publication Date: 2022-08-26
• Subjects: Platelets -- Outpatient -- Transfusion -- Guidelines; Diagnosis, Laboratory -- Periodicals; Pathology -- Periodicals; 616.07
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcp/aqac102
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-9173

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: Platelets are a limited resource frequently subject to inventory shortages. It benefits all to transfuse judiciously, according to evidence-based guidelines. Several organizations have published recommendations for platelet transfusions, but none specifically focused on outpatients. The Clinical Hemotherapy subsection of the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB) Transfusion Medicine Subsection Coordinating Committee conducted a survey targeting outpatient transfusions to understand current practice in the United States. Methods: To determine use of platelets in the outpatient setting, a survey was developed, piloted, validated, and distributed by email to 735 AABB members. Frequencies were calculated and free-text comments categorized. Results: A total of 317 responses were received (43% response rate) from 44 states. Half the respondents' institutions have formal outpatient platelet guidelines. Slightly more than half the respondents (51%) with guidelines used a threshold of less than 10, 000/µL when transfusing stable, afebrile outpatients, with 29% using less than 20, 000/µL. Fewer than half (45%) monitored outpatient platelet use by prospective and retrospective audits, with the next-largest group (25%) using retrospective audits only. Conclusions: Approximately half the respondents had outpatient guidelines, and half used a threshold of less than 10, 000/µL when transfusing platelets to stable outpatients. Greater adoption of this threshold and monitoring may improve the nation's platelet inventory.