When is a blood transfusion indicated in an asymptomatic patient?
The controversy regarding the indications for red cell transfusion centers on the hemoglobin transfusion trigger. Guidelines are available; however, they are predominantly opinion-based. Unless there are associated defects in oxygen transport (e.g. cardiorespiratory disease), there is limited clinical benefit to transfusing patients with a hemoglobin of > 70Gm/L. Patients with irreversible chronic anemia also present another area of controversy, since these patients are being transfused for quality of life indications, and not for improving long term outcomes. Unless the hemoglobin is markedly reduced (e.g., Hb The hemoglobin, although easy to measure, is not necessarily the best marker for the total hemoglobin in the body. A better marker is red cell mass (i.e., total number of red cells in the circulation) as has been demonstrated by several studies in physiology of sports medicine and maximal aerobic performance. However, red cell mass is not easy to measure on a regular basis. In s
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