Posted on 12/11/2015
Findings from the REd CEll Storage duration Study (RECESS) have shown that the standard practice for transfusing red blood cell (RBC) units, which may be stored for up to 42 days, is just as safe for patients undergoing complex cardiac surgery as transfusing them with RBCs stored for shorter periods of time.
Transfusing RBCs with shorter storage duration does not confer any benefits for these patients. This study, funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health [Grant numbers HL072268, HL072291, HL072196, HL072289, HL072248, HL072191, HL072299, HL072305, HL072028, HL072359, HL072072, HL072355, HL072283, HL072331, HL072290], was designed ...