Snapshot on physicians’ view on safe blood transfusion in multiply transfused patients in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Multiply transfused patients (MTPs) are often at risk of alloimmunization and other transfusion-associated complications. These complications could be ameliorated through extended blood typing prior to transfusion of blood and blood products. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of safe blood transfusion in MTPs by physicians. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study of physicians who attended a scientific conference of the West Africa College of Physicians in Asaba, Delta State. Result: Most of the respondents (68%) managed patients requiring multiple blood transfusions. Forty-seven respondents (68.1%) had a blood transfusion policy for MTPs in their respective centers, and 43 (68.1%) had no transfusion trigger hemoglobin level in their respective health facilities. Respondents who had a blood transfusion policy in their centers had a better knowledge of safe blood transfusion than those that did not, P = 0.008. None of the respondents reported carrying out antibody screening before and after multiply transfusing the patients. Although 100% performed initial screening for transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs), only 11.6% repeated screening for TTIs annually. Conclusion: Practice of safe blood transfusion in MTPs was found to be poor among physicians in Nigeria. Hospitals and training institutions should design ways to update knowledge of physicians on safe blood transfusion especially in MTPs and by so doing optimize safe blood transfusion practices, so as to improve the quality of life of patients.

Keywords

• alloimmunization
• hemoglobin trigger
• multiply transfused patients
• safe blood transfusion
• target hemoglobin