BMJ 2002;325:655 ( 21 September )

Letters

Reducing blood transfusion

    BMJ 's cover and headline exaggerated importance of study's findings
    Cell salvage reduces blood use, but does it do so on its own?
    Some important points were missing from the study
    Focus should be on improving patients' ability to make own blood
    Most important transfusion risks go unnoticed by public and politics

BMJ 's cover and headline exaggerated importance of study's findings

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR---The randomised controlled trial on mechanical methods of reducing blood transfusion in cardiac surgery by McGill et al is laudable, but we challenge the BMJ for highlighting this paper on the front cover with the headline: "Cell salvage reduces the need for a transfusion."1 We believe that the journal has a responsibility not to exaggerate the perceived importance of findings, either in press releases or by other means.2


Table Removed (Available Only in the Full Text)


Table Removed (Available Only in the Full Text)

The authors themselves highlighted the main limitations of the study in their discussion, and we believe that such declarations are important safeguards against widespread use of the described methods without further scientific evaluation.

The authors comment on the high cost of transfusion, but they did not include a cost analysis in their study. We understand the risks associated with transfusion and agree that these in themselves may justify any added cost. However, introducing strict transfusion guidelines and monitoring their use . . . [Full text of this article]
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Relevant Articles

Mechanical methods of reducing blood transfusion in cardiac surgery: randomised controlled trial
Neil McGill, Denise O'Shaughnessy, Ruth Pickering, Mike Herbertson, and Ravi Gill
BMJ 2002 324: 1299. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Science commentary: Why is it important to reduce the need for blood transfusion, and how can it be done?
Abi Berger
BMJ 2002 324: 1302. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Klein, A. A., Nashef, S. A. M., Sharples, L., Bottrill, F., Dyer, M., Armstrong, J., Vuylsteke, A. (2008). A Randomized Controlled Trial of Cell Salvage in Routine Cardiac Surgery. Anesth. Analg. 107: 1487-1495 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Murphy, G. J., Allen, S. M., Unsworth-White, J., Lewis, C. T., Dalrymple-Hay, M. J. R. (2004). Safety and efficacy of perioperative cell salvage and autotransfusion after coronary artery bypass grafting: a randomized trial. Ann. Thorac. Surg. 77: 1553-1559 [Abstract] [Full text]  
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