title: Reducing adult phlebotomy blood loss with the use of pediatric-sized blood collection tubes.
abstract: The feasibility of collecting smaller blood volumes during phlebotomy for diagnostic laboratory testing was evaluated by substituting pediatric-size for adult-size blood collection tubes. The volume of blood drawn with the use of pediatric-size tubes from 41 patients in an intensive care unit (120.2 mL total; 32.2 mL/day) was 46.8% lower than in that of a control population for which adult-size tubes were used (226.1 mL total; 55.6 mL/day). Sufficient blood was available for performance of all laboratory tests ordered at the time of the phlebotomy. Although substituting pediatric-size tubes does not address the problem of excessive use of laboratory tests, smaller tubes may reduce the severity of phlebotomy-induced anemia in adults without compromising laboratory test procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Smoller
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kruskall
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Horowitz
mesh_terms: D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001815:Bloodletting / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003422:Critical Care; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans