Haemoglobin level in Scottish intensive care patients--a national one day survey.
Objectives were to determine haemoglobin (Hb) levels present in patients and blood ordering habits of clinicians within Scottish Intensive Care Units (ICUs) on one typical day. A questionnaire survey (February 29 2000) was sent to all adult Scottish ICUs. All patients present in the responding adult ICUs in Scotland on the above date were included.


RESULTS
Nineteen (73%) of the 26 Scottish Adult Intensive Care Units (ICUs) responded to the questionnaire. Data were received from 78 patients, 8 (10%) received blood. Mean initial Hb was 102 g/l (range 63-138). Modal transfusion trigger haemoglobin was 80 g/l in 38% of subjects at first trigger, 100 g/l in 24% of cases. No intensive care unit allowed haemoglobin to fall below 70 g/l and no patients were transfused when measured Hb was greater than 100 g/l. The presence of ischaemic heart disease was the second most important trigger to transfuse after haemoglobin level. Modal transfusion was 2 units (n = 7). Only one patient received a single unit transfusion.


CONCLUSIONS
Scottish ICUs maintain Hb between 70 and 100 g/l but clinicians are currently not consistent when ordering blood. More investigation is required to determine the optimal haemoglobin in our ICU population.
Garrioch
M A
MA
Department of Anaesthesia, South Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Glasgow, Glasgow. magnus.garrioch@virgin.net
Fletcher
G C
GC
Holmes
A P
AP
D018806:APACHE; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000592:standards*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010819:Physician's Role; D012606:Scotland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D006454:Hemoglobins