title: An audit of blood component therapy in a Canadian general teaching hospital.
abstract: As part of a quality assurance program a retrospective audit of transfusion practices for packed red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma and albumin was undertaken with predetermined criteria in a general teaching hospital. Of 520 transfusion episodes with 1218 units of packed red blood cells given to 297 patients 88% were considered appropriate; of 106 episodes with 405 units of fresh frozen plasma given to 83 patients 90% were deemed appropriate; and of 187 episodes with 320 units of albumin given to 99 patients 64% were considered appropriate. The results of this audit, when compared with those of other surveys of blood use in a similar population, suggest that pretransfusion approval of requested components would reduce the number of inappropriate transfusions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, St. Joseph's Health Centre of London, Ont.
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Brien
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Inwood
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D009864:Ontario; D010949:Plasma; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014600:Utilization Review
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin