Breakthroughs in blood: Advancing practice through research

Breakthroughs in blood: Advancements into action is a webinar series for sharing groundbreaking findings in blood research and using them to promote best practices in transfusion. Hosted by Dr. Jeannie Callum, transfusion medicine specialist and hematologist at Kingston Health Sciences Centre, and coordinated by Canadian Blood Services, the webinar series delves into the “So what?” and “Now what?” of blood science and medical research, with a focus on transfusion clinical trials and guidelines. Each webinar focuses discussions on one journal publication and how to implement key findings. This webinar series is just one way that Canadian Blood Services is helping to advance clinical practice through its supported research and education network.

Resources developed through Breakthroughs in blood, organized by date and topic, can be found here. They are relevant for health-care professionals, hospital administrators, policy makers and researchers.

Restrictive or liberal transfusion strategy in myocardial infarction and anemia

Date of webinar: December 1, 2023
Webinar details: Restrictive or liberal transfusion strategy in myocardial infarction and anemia

Key takeaways

  1. The MINT trial did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference in the rate of 30-day death or recurrent MI in patients with acute MI and anemia assigned to a restrictive compared to a liberal transfusion strategy 
  2. While not statistically significant, the point estimates for the primary outcome and secondary outcomes consistently favored a liberal transfusion strategy 
  3. Heart failure and other safety outcomes were comparable in the restrictive and liberal transfusion groups 

Publication

Restrictive or Liberal Transfusion Strategy in Myocardial Infarction and Anemia | NEJM

Webinar recording

Presented by Dr. Jeffrey Carson, Internal Medicine - New Jersey, USA

We encourage you to share this webinar recording with your teams. Recordings are in English only.

 

Resources and tools to support practice change

1.  Questions and answers - Restrictive or liberal transfusion strategy in myocardial infarction and anemia

January 17, 2024

Small-volume blood collection tubes to reduce transfusions in intensive care: The STRATUS randomized clinical trial

Date of webinar: November 17, 2023
Webinar details: Anemia in hospitalized patients: Vampirism and other tales

Key takeaways

  1. Small volume sample collection tubes can be successfully implemented without additional costs or impacts on laboratory testing results.
  2. Small volume sample collection tubes reduce diagnostic blood loss and iatrogenic anemia.
  3. Small volume sample collection tubes reduce volumes of blood transfused in critical care patients.

Publication

Small-Volume Blood Collection Tubes to Reduce Transfusions in Intensive Care: The STRATUS Randomized Clinical Trial - PubMed (nih.gov)

Webinar recording

Presented by Dr. Deborah Siegal, Hematology - Ottawa, Canada

We encourage you to share this webinar recording with your teams. Recordings are in English only.

 

January 11, 2024

 

Resources and tools to support practice change

1.    Breakthroughs in Blood mythbusters

December 1, 2023

 

2.     Question and answer: Small-volume blood collection tubes

December 1, 2023

 

3.    Validation plan for lower volume blood tubes

December 1, 2023

 

4.    François T, Charlier J, Balandier S, Pincivy A, Tucci M, Lacroix J, Du Pont-Thibodeau G. Strategies to Reduce Diagnostic Blood Loss and Anemia in Hospitalized Patients: A Scoping Review. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2023 Jan 1;24(1):e44-e53.

December 1, 2023

 

5.    Helmer P, Hottenrott S, Steinisch A, Röder D, Schubert, J, Steigerwald U, Choorapoikayil S, Meybohm P, Avoidable Blood Loss in Critical Care and Patient Blood Management: Scoping Review of Diagnostic Blood Loss. J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11, 320

December 1, 2023

 

6.    Whitehead NS, Williams LO, Meleth S, Kennedy SM, Ubaka-Blackmoore N, Geaghan SM, Nichols JH, Carroll P, McEvoy MT, Gayken J, Ernst DJ, Litwin C, Epner P, Taylor J, Graber ML. Interventions to prevent iatrogenic anemia: a Laboratory Medicine Best Practices systematic review. Crit Care. 2019 Aug 9;23(1):278.

December 1, 2023