title: Clinical practice of platelet transfusions in haemato-oncology.
abstract: Platelets are prophylactically transfused to patients receiving myeloablative chemotherapy. The trigger can be adapted if a patient has risk factors for bleeding. We performed an international survey to quantify differences in transfusion policies. While platelet counts are most important, bleeding, fever, use of anticoagulants and invasive procedures also determine transfusion strategies. The largest variation of triggers was observed for lumbar punctures and removal of central venous catheters.
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A L
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1658-9257
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Kreuger
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6545-7277
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Middelburg
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Immunohematology & Blood transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zwaginga
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: van der Bom
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.|Department of Hematology, Hagaziekenhuis, Den Haag, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J-L H
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kerkhoffs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D017713:Platelet Transfusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants
keywords: guidelines; survey; transfusion policy; triggers