title: Comparative audit of blood transfusion during war and peace in Sarajevo.
abstract: A comparative study was made between 146 patients receiving blood transfusion at the State Hospital, Sarajevo, in a 3-month period of peace (group 1) and 250 patients receiving transfusions in a 3-month period of war (group 2). In group 1, trauma accounted for only 7% of transfusions while it accounted for 99% in group 2. The threshold for transfusion was increased in war and the mean pretransfusion haematocrit in group 2 was 21%, compared with 27% in group 1 (P < 0.001). Less blood was also transfused per patient in war with a mean transfusion volume of 1.1 units in group 2 compared with 2.6 units in group 1 (P < 0.001). The reasons and justification for such a conservative transfusion practice in a besieged city are discussed.
authors.affiliation: UCL Hospitals, London.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Lavy
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Keene
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Begovic
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strauss
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014857:Warfare; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy