Blood component use in critically ill patients

Summary This prospective observational study was conducted to assess the current transfusion practice in critically ill patients. One thousand two hundred and forty‐seven consecutive critically ill patients admitted between February 1999 and October 1999 were included in the study. Overall 666 (53%) patients were administered red cells. Transfused patients had significantly higher intensive care unit␣mortality but also had higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores and longer durations of stay. The average pretransfusion haemoglobin concentration was