Comparison of haematological indices and transfusion management in severe and massive postpartum haemorrhage: analysis of a two-year national prospective observational study

Prognostic Role of Initial Thromboelastography in Emergency Department Patients with Primary Postpartum Hemorrhage: Association with Massive Transfusion

BACKGROUND

The early prediction of the need for massive transfusions (MTs) and the preparation of blood products are essential for managing patients with primary postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Thromboelastography (TEG) enables a thorough evaluation of coagulation status and is useful for guiding the treatment of hemorrhagic events in various diseases. We investigated the role of TEG in predicting the need for MT in patients with primary PPH.

METHODS

A retrospective observational study was conducted in the emergency department (ED) of a university-affiliated, tertiary referral center between November 2015 and August 2023. TEG was performed upon admission. We defined MT as the requirement for transfusion of more than 10 units of packed red blood cells within the first 24 h. The primary outcome was the need for MT.

RESULTS

Among the 184 patients with initial TEG, 34 (18.5%) required MT. Except for lysis after 30 min, the MT and non-MT groups had significantly different TEG values. Based on multivariate analysis, an angle < 60 was an independent predictor of MT (odds ratio (OR) 7.769; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.736-22.062), along with lactate (OR, 1.674; 95% CI, 1.218-2.300) and shock index > 0.9 (OR, 4.638; 95% CI, 1.784-12.056). Alpha angle < 60 degrees indicated the need for MT with 73.5% sensitivity, 72.0% specificity, and 92.3% negative predictive value.

CONCLUSIONS

Point-of-care testing of TEG has the potential to be a useful tool in accurately predicting the necessity for MT in ED patients with primary PPH at an early stage.

Correlation between mortality and blood transfusion in patients with major surgery initially admitted to intensive care unit: a retrospective analysis

PURPOSE

Transfusing red blood cells promptly corrects anemia and improves tissue oxygenation in around 40% of patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) after major surgical operations. This study's goal is to investigate how blood transfusions affect the mortality rates of patients after major surgery who are hospitalized in the ICU.

METHODS

Retrospective research was done on recently hospitalized patients who had major procedures in the ICU between October 2020 and February 2022 at the Huanggang Central Hospital of Yangtze University, China. The patients' prognoses at three months were used to classify them as either survivors or deceased. Patient demographic information, laboratory results, and blood transfusion histories were acquired, and the outcomes of the two groups were compared based on the differences. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine the prognosis of surgical disease patients first admitted to the ICU. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive power of each risk factor. The relationship between transfusion frequency, transfusion modality, and patient outcome was examined using Spearman's correlation analysis.

RESULTS

Data from 384 patients was included in the research; of them, 214 (or 55.7%) died within three months of their first stay in the ICU. The death group had higher scores on the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) than the survival group did (all P < 0.05); the death group also had lower scores on the Glasgow Coma Scale, systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin, platelet distribution width, and blood transfusion ratio. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed an odds ratio (OR) of 1.654 (1.281-1.989), a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.440 (1.207-1.701), and a P value of 0.05 for death in patients undergoing major surgery who were hospitalized to the intensive care unit (ICU). Areas under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.836, 0.799, and 0.871, respectively, and 95% CIs of 0.796-0.875, 0.755-0.842, and 0.837-0.904, respectively, all P0.05, had significant predictive value for patients initially admitted to the ICU and for APACHE II score > = 12 points, SOFA score > = 6, and blood transfusion. When all three indicators were used jointly to predict a patient's prognosis after major surgery, the accuracy increased to 86.4% (sensitivity) and 100% (specificity). There was a negative correlation between the number of blood transfusions a patient had and their outcome (r = 0.605, P < 0.001) and death (r = 0.698, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

A higher initial ICU APACHE II score, SOFA score, and a number of blood transfusions were associated with improved survival for patients undergoing major surgical operations. Patients' death rates have increased with the increase in the frequency and variety of blood transfusions.

Acute obstetric coagulopathy during postpartum hemorrhage is caused by hyperfibrinolysis and dysfibrinogenemia: an observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) may be exacerbated by hemostatic impairment. Information about PPH-associated coagulopathy is limited, often resulting in treatment strategies based on data derived from trauma studies.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate hemostatic changes associated with PPH.

PATIENTS/METHODS

From a population of 11 279 maternities, 518 (4.6%) women were recruited with PPH ≥ 1000 mL or placental abruption, amniotic fluid embolism, or concealed bleeding. Routine coagulation and viscoelastometric results were collated. Stored plasma samples were used to investigate women with bleeds > 2000 mL or those at increased risk of coagulopathy defined as placenta abruption, amniotic fluid embolism, or need for blood components. Procoagulant factors were assayed and global hemostasis was assessed using thrombin generation. Fibrinolysis was investigated with D-dimer and plasmin/antiplasmin complexes. Dysfibrinogenemia was assessed using the Clauss/antigen ratio.

RESULTS

At 1000 mL blood loss, Clauss fibrinogen was ≤2 g/L in 2.4% of women and 6/27 (22.2%) cases of abruption. Women with very large bleeds (>3000 mL) had evidence of a dilutional coagulopathy, although hemostatic impairment was uncommon. A subgroup of 12 women (1.06/1000 maternities) had a distinct coagulopathy characterized by massive fibrinolysis (plasmin/antiplasmin > 40 000 ng/mL), increased D-dimer, hypofibrinogenemia, dysfibrinogenemia, reduced factor V and factor VIII, and increased activated protein C, termed acute obstetric coagulopathy. It was associated with fetal or neonatal death in 50% of cases and increased maternal morbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinically significant hemostatic impairment is uncommon during PPH, but a subgroup of women have a distinct and severe coagulopathy characterized by hyperfibrinolysis, low fibrinogen, and dysfibrinogenemia associated with poor fetal outcomes.

The Role of Thromboelastography during the Management of Postpartum Hemorrhage: Background, Evidence, and Practical Application

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a common cause of significant maternal morbidity and mortality that can be associated with coagulopathy, especially hypofibrinogenemia. There is interest in point-of-care viscoelastic hemostatic assays (POC-VHA) in PPH because prompt knowledge of coagulation status can aid diagnosis, identify cases of severe coagulopathy, and allow ongoing monitoring during rapid bleeding. The incidence of coagulopathy in most cases of PPH is low because of the procoagulant state of pregnancy, including raised fibrinogen levels of around 4 to 6 g/L. A Clauss fibrinogen of >2 g/L or POC-VHA equivalent has been found to be adequate for hemostasis during PPH. POC-VHA has been used successfully to diagnose hypofibrinogenemia (Clauss fibrinogen of ≤2 g/L) and guide fibrinogen treatment which has reduced bleed size and complications of massive transfusion. There are uncertainties about the use of POC-VHA to direct fresh frozen plasma and platelet administration during PPH. Several POC-VHA algorithms have been used successfully incorporated in the management of many thousands of PPHs and clinicians report that they are easy to use, interpret, and aid decision making. Due to the relative cost of POC-VHA and lack of definitive data on improving outcomes, these devices have not been universally adopted during PPH.

The role of fibrinogen in postpartum hemorrhage

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide (WHO), with almost 60000 deaths annually. Pregnancy is a prothrombotic state with increased levels of several coagulation factors to protect the parturient from bleeding problems during delivery. Fibrinogen has a significant role in coagulation and bleeding. Studies have pointed out that lower fibrinogen levels before delivery, but also at the initiation of PPH, are predictive of major hemorrhage. Early, the goal-directed fibrinogen concentrate therapy might be very useful in a subgroup of patients with serious PPH. This review aims to summarize the current literature on fibrinogen during PPH.