Dose-response relationship between transfusion and the incidence of infection in critically ill patients: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To estimate the association between red blood cell (RBC) transfusion volume and hospital-acquired infections (HAI) in critically ill patients, with a particular focus on identifying the potential threshold volumes at which infection risk changes.

Methods

The MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Embase, and Transfusion Evidence Library databases were searched for studies published from database inception to November 2024. Citation searches and reference checks of the relevant guidelines were combined. Studies that evaluated transfusion and anemia pharmacotherapy in critically ill patients were included. Outcome of interest was the incidence of HAI. We conducted a dose-response meta-analysis (DRMA) using a one-stage random-effects model.

Results

We identified 39,453 records after

SUBMITTER: Yoshihiro S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12486664 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature