Total plasma heme concentration increases after red blood cell transfusion and predicts mortality in critically ill medical patients.
Anthony P PietropaoliKelly F HenrichsJill M CholetteSherry L SpinelliRichard P PhippsMajed A RefaaiNeil BlumbergPublished in: Transfusion (2019)
Total plasma heme concentration increases in critically ill patients after RBC transfusion and is independently associated with mortality. This transfusion-associated increase in total plasma heme is not fully explained by RBC unit storage age or cell-free heme content. Additional studies are warranted to define mechanisms of transfusion-related plasma heme accumulation and test prevention strategies.