Description:

This session will focus on optimal red blood cell (RBC) and platelet transfusion therapy in adult and pediatric patients with hematologic diseases. The theme of the presentations will be concentrated on optimizing transfusion supportive care, based on evidence, expert opinion, and hospital-based blood management to improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Savage will discuss the widespread recognition that blood components are over-utilized, especially when there are high quality data that should guide transfusion practice. He will explore optimizing transfusion practice and blood utilization programs to reduce risks of transfusion, improve quality, and reduce costs. He will highlight the variability in blood utilization programs across clinical settings, but underscore that all share the same fundamental approaches for achieving wise utilization of blood components.

Dr. Grossman will discuss hematology patients who receive RBC transfusions and their unique risk/benefit profile when compared to other patients. She will also briefly highlight current RBC transfusion guidelines and then explore the unique needs and the evidence to support current RBC transfusion practices in patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, thalassemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and patients who are undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Dr. Josephson will highlight in this session key randomized control trials and recent systematic reviews focused on optimal platelet transfusion therapy in adult and pediatric patients with hematologic diseases. She will discuss how recent innovations in platelet component processing may affect transfusion efficiency, and introduce renewed concepts of adjuvant therapies to prevent bleeding in the hypoproliferative thrombocytopenic patient.