Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: A Feasibility Randomized Trial Comparing Restrictive and Liberal Blood Transfusion Strategies in Patients Requiring Four or More Days in Intensive Care
Brief Summary: The most effective transfusion practice in critically ill ICU patients is unknown. Currently the data is unclear as to whether a liberal or restrictive transfusion policy is of most benefit to patients in the short and longer term. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that liberal use of RBCs (Hb transfusion trigger ≤90g/L; target Hb range 91-110 g/L) to correct anaemia improves clinical outcomes compared with a restrictive transfusion trigger (Hb transfusion trigger ≤70 g/L; target Hb range 71-90 g/L) in anaemic critically ill patients requiring prolonged ICU stay (≥4 days).

Patients will be randomised to one of two transfusion strategies on a 1:1 basis

Group 1 "Restrictive RBC Transfusion group":

Patients will receive single unit RBC transfusions with a transfusion trigger of ≤70 g/L with a target Hb concentration of 71-90 g/L during the intervention period.

Group 2 "Liberal RBC transfusion group":

Patients will receive single unit RBC transfusions with a transfusion trigger of ≤90 g/L with a target of 91-110 g/L during intervention. These patients will all receive a transfusion on the day of randomisation.

Duration of Intervention:

Remainder of ICU stay or 14 days from randomisation, whichever is longer

Follow-Up

Quality of Life, mobility and health service usage questionnaires at 60 and 180 days.

This is a feasibility study that will provide essential data to ensure the success of the full trial. A qualitative study will also be carried out to explore potential reasons for non-recruitment and clinician concerns with the existing protocol. An exploratory biomarker sub-study will test whether a pro-inflammatory signal occurs in the liberally transfused group associated with transfusions.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Aged ≥ 18 years
* Recent acute myocardial infarction, with or without ST- segment elevation, with a combination of ischemic symptoms occurring in the past 48 hours,before the MI related admission, and elevation of biomarkers of myocardial injury (troponin)
* Anemia Hb ≤ 10g / dL but \> 7 g/dL on Hb, measured at any time during the index hospital admission for MI.
* Written informed consent
* Coverage for medical insurance.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Shock (SBP \< 90 mmHg with clinical signs of low output or patients requiring inotropic agents)
* MI occurring post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or post-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) (i.e. type IV or V Acute MI according to the 2012 Universal Definition of MI
* Life-threatening or massive ongoing bleeding (as judged by the investigator)
* Any blood transfusion in the previous 30-days
* any known malignant hematologic disease Note: Sickle cell disease, thalassemia and anemia due to chronic renal failure (even under EPO) are not an exclusion criteria
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* The patient remains in the ICU after 96 hours (4 days) or more following ICU admission
* The patient has required mechanical ventilation via an endotracheal tube or tracheostomy tube for 96 hours or more
* The patient is expected to require ≥24 hours of further mechanical ventilation at the time of assessment
* The patient is aged ≥55 years of age
* The patient has a Hb value of 90g/L or less at the time of assessment

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patient with active bleeding at the time of screening
* Patient with traumatic brain injury as presenting diagnosis
* Patient with intracranial haemorrhage as presenting diagnosis
* Patient not expected to survive the next 48 hours at the time of assessment.
* Patient objects to RBC transfusion
* Patient receiving concurrent treatment with erythropoietin or similar erythropoietic agent
* Follow up is not feasible
* Already enrolled in another RCT with similar clinical endpoints
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 years of age or older
* Either ST segment elevation myocardial infarction or Non ST segment elevation myocardial infarction consistent with the 3rd Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction criteria that occurs on admission or during the index hospitalization
* Hemoglobin concentration less than 10 g/dL at the time of random allocation
* Patient physician believes that both of the transfusion strategies are consistent with good medical care for the patient

Exclusion Criteria:

* Uncontrolled acute bleeding at the time of randomization defined as the need for uncrossed or non-type specific blood
* Decline blood transfusion
* Scheduled for cardiac surgery during the current admission
* Receiving only palliative treatment
* Known that follow-up will not be possible at 30 days
* Previously participated in MINT
* Currently enrolled in a competing study that interferes with the intervention or follow-up of MINT or enrolled in a competing study that has not been approved by the local Institutional Review Board
* Patient physician does not believe the patient is an appropriate candidate for the trial
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients are aged 16-70 undergoing either an autologous or allogeneic HSCT for any hematologic malignancy

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant or lactating at the time of enrollment
* Already received red cell transfusion after HSCT but prior to enrollment
* Unable/unwilling to provide informed consent.
* Patients receiving HSCT for non-malignancy

Answer: B