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Allogeneic blood transfusions may result in higher infection rates after lumbar surgery
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According to study findings, patients who received an allogeneic blood transfusion during lumbar spine surgery were at higher risk for surgical site infection, urinary tract infection and overall postoperative infections.
Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study from a tertiary care spine referral center. The study included 3,721 patients who underwent laminectomy and/or arthrodesis of the lumbar spine.
Among the patients studied, 22% of those who received allogenic blood during surgery were observed to have one or more of the specified postoperative infections compared with only 5.8% of patients who were not exposed to allogenic blood. The adjusted odds ratio after controlling for explanatory variables was 2.6, which indicated that patients who received allogenic blood had a 2.6-times higher odds of developing any postoperative infection compared with non-exposed patients.
Using a multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess the relationship of allogenic blood transfusion perioperatively with both specific and overall postoperative infection rates, the researchers determined the adjusted odds ratio for exposure to allogeneic blood transfusion was 2.6 for any postoperative infection (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-3.9; P < .001); 2.2 for urinary tract infections (95% CI, 1.3-3.9; P = .004); 2.3 for pneumonia (95% CI, 0.96-5.3; P = .062) and 2.6 for surgical site infection for which incision and drainage were required (95% CI, 1.3-5.3; P = .007).
According to the researchers, no dose-response relationship was observed between any of the postoperative infection types and the number of units of blood transfused. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosures: Janssen reports receiving grants from the Anna Foundation, Michael van Vloten Foundation, De Drie Lichten Foundation, and KWF Kankerbestrijding. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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