RBC storage duration doesn’t affect outcomes in kids

There were 8 deaths, 3 in the longer-storage group and 5 in the shorter-storage group, during the 24 hours from the start of transfusion. Four additional patients, 2 in each group, died in the hospital after the initial 24-hour observation period.

The proportion of patients who had returned to good health by 30 days was 86% of the longer-storage group and 93% of the shorter-storage group (P=0.13).

“By every single measure we explored, and we explored many, we found that long-stored blood was not inferior . . . ,” Dr Csert-Gazdewich said. “We truly found no justification to shorten the current storage duration of red cells as judged by the fundamental role to deliver oxygen.”