title: Transfusion increases the risk for vasoplegia after cardiac operations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Perioperative vasoplegia is associated with increased morbidity. Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion increases plasma concentrations of inflammatory mediators, possibly contributing to the development of vasoplegia. We investigated the prevalence of mild and profound postoperative vasoplegia, identified factors associated with its development, and examined the role of RBC and component transfusion on the occurrence of postoperative vasoplegia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1, 2000, and January 1, 2007, 25,960 patients underwent on-bypass cardiac surgical procedures. The incidence of vasoplegia was defined as (1) mild vasoplegia requiring norepinephrine infusion for blood pressure support on the day of operation and postoperative day 1, and (2) profound vasoplegia requiring vasopressin, with or without concomitant norepinephrine infusion, on the day of operation and postoperative day 1. Separate logistic regression models were used to model risk factors for development of mild and profound vasoplegia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RBC transfusion increased risk-adjusted odd ratios (ORs) of developing mild vasoplegia (1.07 [95% confidence limits (CL), 1.05, 1.10]; p<0.001) and profound vasoplegia (1.38 [1.31, 1.46] p<0.001). The risk-adjusted ORs (95% CL) for mild vasoplegia and profound vasoplegia were similarly increased by fresh-frozen plasma (OR, 1.24 [1.10, 1.41], p<0.001; and OR, 1.20 [1.13, 1.29], p<0.001) and platelet transfusion (OR, 1.39 [1.25, 1.54], p<0.001; and OR, 1.22 [1.14, 1.31], p<0.001), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Red blood cells, fresh-frozen plasma, and platelet transfusion increased the prevalence of vasoplegia. RBC transfusion exhibited a dose-dependent response for developing vasoplegia with each RBC unit transfused. Further investigation is necessary to determine whether prophylactic use of vasopressor support in the setting of transfusion can ameliorate risk and effect outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, Anesthesiology Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA. alfirea@ccf.org
authors.forename: Andrej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alfirevic
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Priscilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.forename: Colleen G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016913:Blood Component Transfusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D056987:Vasoplegia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*