In 1999, Hebert et al [10] reported the results of the TRICC trial. Patients (n = 838) were randomized either to a restrictive strategy (haemoglobin concentration maintained between 70 and 90 g/l, with a trigger set at 70 g/l) or to a liberal strategy (haemoglobin concentration maintained between 100 and 120 g/l, with a trigger at 100 g/l). To date, the TRICC trial is the only large study that has investigated these parameters. The groups were comparable at baseline. The average daily haemoglobin concentration ranged from 85 ± 7.2 g/l in the restrictive group to 107 ± 7.3 g/l in the liberal group (P < 0.01). The average number of transfusions was reduced by 52% in the restrictive group (2.6 ± 4.1 versus 5.6 ± 5.3 RBCs/patient; P < 0.01). Cardiac events, primarily pulmonary oedema and myocardial infarction, were more frequent in the liberal strategy (P < 0.01; Table 1 ). On examination of composite outcomes, the number of patients with multiorgan failure was found to be substantially increased in both groups, with the results being marginally better in the restrictive strategy group (20.6% versus 26.0%; P = 0.07; Table 2 ). Overall, the restrictive transfusion group showed a lower 30-day mortality (18.7% versus 23.3%; P = 0.11; Fig. 1 ). Kaplan-Meier survival curves, however, were significantly different in the subgroup of patients with an Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score of 20 or less (P = 0.02; Fig. 2 ). In addition, although 60-day mortality (22.8% versus 26.5%; P = 0.23) and ICU mortality (13.9% versus 16.2%; P = 0.29) were not statistically significant, they did show a consistent trend in terms of absolute values that favoured the restrictive strategy. The key observation from the TRICC trial is not that the restrictive strategy is better, but rather that it is at worst equivalent to the liberal strategy and at best superior to the liberal strategy.