BACKGROUND: The use of a small-volume phlebotomy tube (SVPT) versus conventional-volume phlebotomy tube (CVPT) has led to a decrease in daily @entity190 . @entity190 due to phlebotomy can lead ultimately to decreased rates of @entity417 and blood transfusions, which can be important in the critically ill @entity1 . METHODS: We compared SVPT vs CVPT retrospectively in critically ill adult @entity1 age >= 18  years admitted to a surgical intensive care unit for >= 48  hours. CVPT were evaluated from January 2011 to May 2011 and SVPT from June 2012 to October  2012. RESULTS: Amount of blood drawn for laboratory tests and transfusions were evaluated in 248 @entity1 (116 SVPT vs 132 CVPT). When compared with CVPT, total blood volume removed (mean      SD) with SVPT was less overall, 174      182  mL vs 299      355  mL, P  =  .001. Daily blood draws also were less, 22.5      17.3  mL vs 31.7      15.5  mL, P  <  .001. The units of packed red blood cells given were not significant, 4.4      3.6 units vs 6.0      8.2 units, P  =  .16. CONCLUSION: The use of SVPT blood sampling led to a decreased amount of blood drawn. Strategies that use SVPT in a larger cohort also may decrease the number of transfusions in selected @entity1 . Every effort should be made to use SVPT.

Impact of minimizing diagnostic XXXX in the critically ill.

@entity190 :: ('MESH:D006473', 'Disease') :: ['blood loss', 'Blood loss'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity417 :: ('MESH:D000740', 'Disease') :: ['anemia']
@entity190 :: (MESH:D006473,Disease) :: ['blood loss']
