Cautious use of blood transfusions urged

Lives could be saved if blood transfusions were given more judiciously to people suffering bleeding of the upper gastrointestinal tract, new research findings suggest.

One of the authors of the three-year study, Fiona Stanley Hospital head of gastroenterology John Olynyk, said the condition was one of the most common reasons for attending a hospital emergency department, accounting for about 1100 presentations in WA each year.

The researchers found patients with a haemoglobin level exceeding 90 grams per litre on admission were 10 times more likely to experience further bleeding if they received an early transfusion of red blood cells.

They also found the more cells such patients received, the greater their risk of further bleeding and associated complications, which can lead to death.

Professor Olynyk said the study highlighted the need for a more judicious approach to the administration of blood products.

"Unless a patient has major UGIT bleeding, red blood cells, platelets and plasma should not be given as a matter of course," he said.