Using blood wisely in oncology patients: An institutional analysis of the Choosing Wisely Canada restrictive transfusion strategy guidelines.

Authors

Megan Tesch

Megan Elizabeth Tesch

BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Megan Elizabeth Tesch, Mae Alghawas, Alina S. Gerrie

Organizations

BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada, UBC, Vancouver, Canada, British Columbia Cancer Centre for Lymphoid Cancer, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Research Funding

No funding received
None

Background: Numerous studies support the safety of single-unit red red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and restrictive pre-transfusion hemoglobin (Hg) thresholds (≤ 70-80 g/L) among diverse populations of hospitalized patients, including those with malignancies on myelosuppressive systemic therapy. Using Blood Wisely is a national Choosing Wisely Canada (CWC) initiative that challenges hospitals to benchmark themselves on evidence-informed restrictive transfusion strategies, with the aim to decrease inappropriate RBC transfusions in Canada. We assessed transfusion practices among oncology inpatients at BC Cancer Vancouver Centre as part of this initiative and performed an exploratory analysis among outpatients. Methods: BC Cancer Vancouver RBC transfusion records were obtained for the period of October 2019-September 2020. The percentage of single-unit transfusions and transfusions for Hg ≤ 80 g/L were measured, to assess adherence to CWC targets of ≥ 65% and ≥ 80%, respectively, for these metrics. Univariate analyses were used to compare treatment variables and transfusion outcomes. Results: During the 1-year audit period, 120 inpatient and 586 outpatient RBC transfusions occurred. For inpatient transfusions, 40.8% (n = 49) were single-unit and 79.2% (n = 95) were for Hg ≤ 80 g/L. For outpatient transfusions, 11.8% (n = 69) were single-unit and 65.7% (n = 304) were for Hg ≤ 80 g/L. Outpatients and patients with solid malignancies were more likely to receive multiple-unit transfusions, compared to inpatients (p < 0.001) and patients with hematological malignancies (p < 0.001), respectively. Patients with solid malignancies and those on active treatment were more likely to be transfused when Hg was > 80 g/L, compared to patients with hematological malignancies (p = 0.004) and those off treatment (p = 0.003), respectively. Multiple RBC units were more likely to transfused when the interval from pre-transfusion bloodwork to receipt of transfusion was > 3 days (p = 0.029). Conclusions: A high rate of inappropriate RBC transfusions are being ordered for oncology patients at our institution, in discordance with CWC restrictive transfusion strategy guidelines. Quality improvement interventions are planned to adopt best practices in transfusion medicine in this high-use population.

Variable
Single-unit transfusions

[n (%)]
Multiple-unit transfusions

[n (%)]
p value
Transfusions for Hg ≤ 80 g/L [n (%)]

Transfusions for Hg > 80 g/L

[n (%)]
p value
Patient status
< 0.001
0.004
 Inpatient
49 (40.8)
71 (59.2)
95 (79.2)
25 (20.8)
 Outpatient
69 (11.8)
517 (88.2)
384 (65.8)
200 (34.2)
Malignancy type
< 0.001
0.004
 Hematological
52 (32.1)
110 (67.9)
124 (77.5)
36 (22.5)
 Solid
66 (12.1)
478 (87.9)
355 (65.3)
189 (34.7)
Treatment status
0.868
0.003
 On treatment
107 (16.9)
62 (84.9)
418 (66.2)
213 (33.8)
 Off treatment
11 (15.1)
526 (83.1)
61 (83.6)
12 (16.4)

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2021 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session A: Cost, Value, and Policy; Health Equity and Disparities; Patient Experience

Track

Cost, Value, and Policy,Technology and Innovation in Quality of Care,Health Care Access, Equity, and Disparities,Patient Experience,Quality, Safety, and Implementation Science

Sub Track

Guideline-Concordant Care Initiatives

Citation

J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 28; abstr 10)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2020.39.28_suppl.10

Abstract #

10

Poster Bd #

A5

Abstract Disclosures