PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - W. F. Brien
AU  - R. J. Butler
AU  - M. J. Inwood
TI  - An audit of blood component therapy in a Canadian general teaching hospital
DP  - 1989 Apr 01
TA  - Canadian Medical Association Journal
PG  - 812--815
VI  - 140
IP  - 7
4099  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/140/7/812.short
4100  - http://www.cmaj.ca/content/140/7/812.full
SO  - CMAJ1989 Apr 01; 140
AB  - As part of a quality assurance program a retrospective audit of transfusion practices for packed red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma and albumin was undertaken with predetermined criteria in a general teaching hospital. Of 520 transfusion episodes with 1218 units of packed red blood cells given to 297 patients 88% were considered appropriate; of 106 episodes with 405 units of fresh frozen plasma given to 83 patients 90% were deemed appropriate; and of 187 episodes with 320 units of albumin given to 99 patients 64% were considered appropriate. The results of this audit, when compared with those of other surveys of blood use in a similar population, suggest that pretransfusion approval of requested components would reduce the number of inappropriate transfusions.