Objective: To estimate the appropriateness of frozen plasma (FP) transfusions in a tertiary-care teaching hospital.

Methods: The medical records of all hospitalized patients transfused with FP between 1 April 2007 and 31 April 2008 were reviewed, analyzed retrospectively according to the Clinical Blood Transfusion Technical Specification from Ministry of Healthy.

Results: In 5084 times 13627 units FP transfusions, departments of surgery used 77.7%, and departments of internal medicine used 22.3%. The medical records showed that the reasons of FP transfusion included supply coagulation factors, supply intraoperative blood loss, postoperative supporting therapy for enhancement of wound healing, volume expansion, plasma exchange, nutritional support and massive transfusion. Overall, the 68.5% of FP transfusions were assessed as inappropriate. The inappropriateness rate in departments of surgery was 71.7%, and that in departments of internal medicine was 22.6%.

Conclusion: There is considerable inappropriate transfusion of FP in our hospital, for there has some important objective reasons. It is stated that the Technical Specification is not suitable to the condition of blood production supply and clinical practice. Clinicians should follow evidence-based transfusion guidelines for appropriate use of FP. So we suggest the Technical Specification should be renew periodly.

Topics:
academic medical centers, evidence-based practice, plasma, teaching hospitals, transfusion, blood transfusion, surgical procedures, operative, blood coagulation factors, intraoperative hemorrhage, massive transfusion

Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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2008, The American Society of Hematology
2008
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