Comparison of safety and efficacy of liberal versus restrictive red blood cell transfusion thresholds on the quality of life in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are clonal stem cell disorders managed by risk stratification: lower-risk disease receives erythropoiesis-stimulating agents; higher-risk disease receives azacitidine. Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions manage symptomatic anaemia and improve quality of life (QoL) but carry risks of iron overload and alloimmunisation. No standardised transfusion strategy exists, requiring systematic evidence synthesis comparing liberal versus restrictive haemoglobin (Hb) thresholds for their effects on quality of life and transfusion-related complications. We performed a systematic review evaluating liberal versus restrictive RBC transfusion thresholds in adults with MDS not undergoing curative treatment such as stem cell transplantation. Primary outcome was health-related QoL

SUBMITTER: Mandal S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12835097 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature