Editor Choice: Red Blood Cell Transfusion is Associated With Infection and Extracerebral Complications After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

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Levine, Joshua MD; Kofke, Andrew MD; Cen, Liyi PhD; Chen, Zhen PhD; Faerber, Jennifer PhD; Elliott, J. Paul MD; Winn, H. Richard MD; Le Roux, Peter MD

OBJECTIVE: Red blood cell transfusion (RBCT) is associated with medical complications in general medical and surgical patients. We examined the hypothesis that RBCT during intensive care unit (ICU) care is associated with medical complications after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a prospective observational database containing 421 patients with SAH (mean age, 51.5 years; standard deviation, 14.6 years). Logistic regression models were used to adjust for age, admission hemoglobin (Hgb), clinical grade, average ICU Hgb, and symptomatic vasospasm.