title: [Pediatric transfusion practices: A single-center retrospective study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to describe the professional practices in pediatric transfusion to assess the accuracy of transfusion guidelines in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study retrospectively analyzed the characteristics of all the pediatric transfusions prescribed in the Clermont-Ferrand (France) university hospital center over 1 year and determined whether they conformed to the national guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thousand six hundred and seven blood products were delivered to 233 children (806 red cell units, 670 platelet units, and 131 plasma units), accounting for 5.3% of the center's whole blood products. Transfusions were mainly prescribed by the oncohematology unit (68.2%), the intensive care unit (15.4%), and for surgery (10.2%). Ten adverse events were reported in eight patients (0.6% of transfusions). The prescription conformed to the national guidelines in 35.9%, 41.6%, and 80.9% of the red blood cell, platelet, and plasma unit transfusions, respectively. Nonconformity was mainly due to abusive irradiation and "cytomegalovirus seronegative" specifications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malignancies, intensive care, and surgery are the main indications for transfusion in children. Substantial discrepancy between recommendations and actual practices was observed. This illustrates the variability of risk evaluation. This should be made simpler by the use of photochemical pathogen inactivation techniques.
authors: Service de pédiatrie, centre régional de cancérologie et thérapie cellulaire pédiatrique, hôpital Estaing, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Navarro
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Ducher
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Tas
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Chabre
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Deméocq
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Fabrigli
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Kanold
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Merlin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000592:standards*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult