Effects of blood transfusion with leucocyte depletion on length of hospital stay, respiratory assistance and survival after curative surgery for colorectal cancer

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Flow chart of the trial population, reasons for exclusion and resulting population studied.

Table I.  Filtration mistakes.

Number of blood/plasma units missed	Number of patients
One unit	23
Two units	17
Three or more units	16

Number of patients in the LDB group (patients randomised to transfusion with leucocyte depleted blood products) who received one, two or more units of unfiltered blood products.

Table II.  Demographics.

	LDB	RBC	NTP	All patients
Patients, n	137	161	344	642
Age, years	75 (37–90)	73 (36–91)	70 (34–90)*	72 (34–91)
Hospital stay, days	15.5 (6–125)	15.5 (6–144)	11 (5–41)**	13 (5–144)
Blood units, n	3.6 (±0.3)	3.6 (±0.3)***	–	–
Plasma units	1.3 (±0.2)	1.5 (±0.2)***	–	–

Number of patients, patient age (median and range), length of hospital stay (median and range) and number of transfused blood products (mean±SEM) in the different groups. LDB signifies patients transfused with leucocyte depleted blood products, RBC patients transfused with standard unfiltered blood products and NTP, non-transfused patients.

*There were significant differences concerning age between NTP and LDB/RBC respectively (p < 0.01).

**There were significant differences concerning length of hospital stay between NTP and LDB/RBC respectively (p < 0.01).

***There were no differences in numbers of blood/plasma units (NS).

Figure 2.  Relative distribution of patients according to Dukes’ classification, in the study groups. LDB represents patients transfused with leucocyte depleted blood products, RBC patients transfused with standard un-filtered blood products and NTP, non-transfused patients.

Table III.  Patients with extended (>20 days) hospital stay.

	LDB	RBC	NTP	All patients
Patients, n	32	55*	31	118
Age, years	76 (49–88)	72 (36–89)	72 (38–86)	74 (36–89)
Hospital stay, days	30 (21–125)	26 (21–144)	24 (21–41)**	26 (21–144)
Blood units, n	6.3 (±1.0)	4.6 (±0.8)	–	–
Plasma units	3.6 (±0.9)	2.3 (±0.5)	–	–

Number of patients, patient age (median and range), length of hospital stay (median and range) and number of transfused blood products (mean±SEM) in the different groups. LDB signifies patients transfused with leucocyte depleted blood products, RBC patients transfused with standard unfiltered blood products and NTP, non-transfused patients.

*There was a significant difference in the percentage of patients with extended hospital stay comparing LDB to RBC. (p < 0.001).

**There was a significant difference in length of hospital stay between NTP and LDB (p < 0.01).

Figure 3.  Survival curves for 298 patients who received blood transfusion with leucocyte depleted (LDB) or un-filtered (RBC) blood products. Differences were assessed by the logrank test and expressed as hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI.

Figure 4.  Survival analysis of 642 patients without or with transfusion of any kind. Differences were assessed by the logrank test and expressed as hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI.

Figure 5.  Survival analysis of 642 patients without or with transfusion of any kind. Differences were assessed by the logrank test and expressed as hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI.