Lars B Holst, Nicolai Haase, Jørn Wetterslev, Jan Wernerman, Anne B Guttormsen, Sari Karlsson, Pär I Johansson, Anders Aneman, Marianne L Vang, Robert Winding, Lars Nebrich, Helle L Nibro, Bodil S Rasmussen, Johnny R M Lauridsen, Jane S Nielsen, Anders Oldner, Ville Pettilä, Maria B Cronhjort, Lasse H Andersen, Ulf G Pedersen, Nanna Reiter, Jørgen Wiis, Jonathan O White, Lene Russell, Klaus J Thornberg, Peter B Hjortrup, Rasmus G Müller, Morten H Møller, Morten Steensen, Inga Tjäder, Kristina Kilsand, Suzanne Odeberg-Wernerman, Brit Sjøbø, Helle Bundgaard, Maria A Thyø, David Lodahl, Rikke Mærkedahl, Carsten Albeck, Dorte Illum, Mary Kruse, Per Winkel, Anders Perner
BACKGROUND: Blood transfusions are frequently given to patients with septic shock. However, the benefits and harms of different hemoglobin thresholds for transfusion have not been established. METHODS: In this multicenter, parallel-group trial, we randomly assigned patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who had septic shock and a hemoglobin concentration of 9 g per deciliter or less to receive 1 unit of leukoreduced red cells when the hemoglobin level was 7 g per deciliter or less (lower threshold) or when the level was 9 g per deciliter or less (higher threshold) during the ICU stay...
October 9, 2014: New England Journal of Medicine