The effects of red cell transfusion donor age on nosocomial infection among trauma patients

• Published in: The American journal of surgery 2017-10, Vol.214 (4), p.672-676
• Main Authors: Loftus, Tyler J., Thomas, Ryan M., Murphy, Travis W., Nguyen, Linda L., Moore, Frederick A., Brakenridge, Scott C., Efron, Philip A., Mohr, Alicia M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Age Factors; Aging; Antigens; Blood & organ donations; Blood banks; Blood groups; Blood platelets; Blood transfusion; Cross Infection - epidemiology; Donor; Erythrocyte Transfusion; Erythrocytes; Female; Health risks; Hospitals; Humans; Incidence; Injuries; Injury Severity Score; Male; Middle Aged; Mortality; Nosocomial infection; Nosocomial infections; Patients; Pneumonia; Recipient; Regression analysis; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Studies; Transfusion; Trauma; Wounds and Injuries - therapy
• ISSN: 0002-9610; 1879-1883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2017.07.004

We hypothesized that packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions from older donors would be associated with fewer nosocomial infections among trauma patients. We performed a four-year retrospective analysis of 264 consecutive adult trauma patients who received ≥1 PRBC transfusion during admission. The capacity of donor age to predict nosocomial infection was assessed by logistic regression. Thirty-three percent of all patients developed a nosocomial infection. Donor age was significantly higher among patients with nosocomial infection (40.3 vs. 37.6 years, p = 0.035), and the incidence of infection was directly proportional to donor age. The association between donor age and infection was strongest among recipients age ≥60 years, and was significant on multivariate regression for this cohort (OR 1.07 (95% CI 1.01–1.13), p = 0.024). Among trauma patients receiving PRBC transfusions, blood from older donors may be associated with increased risk for nosocomial infection.