Initial experiences of prehospital blood product transfusions between 2016 and 2020 in Päijät-Häme hospital district, Finland

Factors affecting physicians' decision to start prehospital blood product transfusion in blunt trauma patients: A cohort study of Helsinki Trauma Registry

BACKGROUND

Prehospital blood transfusions are increasing as a treatment for bleeding trauma patients at risk for exsanguination. Triggers for starting transfusion in the field are less studied. We analyzed the factors affecting the decision of physicians to start prehospital blood product transfusion (PHBT) in blunt adult trauma patients.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Data of all adult blunt trauma patients from the Helsinki Trauma Registry between March 2016 and July 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate analysis for the identification of predictive factors and multivariate regression analysis for their importance as predictive factors for the initiation of PHBT were applied.

RESULTS

There were 1652 patients registered in the database. A total of 556 of them were treated by a physician-level prehospital emergency care unit, of which by transfusion-capable unit in 394 patients. PHBT (red blood cells and/or plasma) was started in 19.8% of the patients. We identified three statistically highly important clinical triggers for starting PHBT: high crystalloid volume need, shock index ≥0.9, and need for prehospital pleural decompression.

DISCUSSION

PHBT in blunt adult trauma patients is initiated in ~20% of the patients in Southern Finland. High crystalloid volume need, shock index ≥0.9 and prehospital pleural decompression are associated with the initiation of PHBT, probably reflecting patients at high risk for bleeding.

Low titer group O whole blood and risk of RhD alloimmunization: Rationale for use in Finland

BACKGROUND

Prehospital low-titer group O whole blood (LTOWB) used for patients with life-threatening hemorrhage is often RhD positive. The most important complication following RhD alloimmunization is hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). Preceding clinical use of RhD positive LTOWB, we estimated the risk of HDFN due to LTOWB prehospital transfusion in the Finnish population.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We collected data on prehospital transfusions in Tampere and Helsinki University Hospital areas. Using the mean of reported alloimmunization rates in trauma studies (24%) and a higher reported rate representing trauma patients of 13-50 years old (42.7%), we estimated the risk of HDFN and extrapolated it to the whole of Finland.

RESULTS

We estimated that in Finland, with the current prehospital transfusion rate we would see 1-3 cases of severe HDFN due to prehospital LTOWB transfusions every 10 years, and fetal death due to HDFN caused by LTOWB transfusion less than once in 100 years.

DISCUSSION

The estimated risk of serious HDFN due to prehospital LTOWB transfusion in the Finnish population is similar to previous estimates. As Finland routinely screens expectant mothers for red blood cell antibodies and as the contemporary treatment of HDFN is very effective, we support the prehospital use of RhD positive LTOWB in all patient groups.