Document Classification

Section Type: METHODS

Text: We enrolled 838 critically ill patients with euvolemia after initial treatment who had hemoglobin concentrations of less than 9. 0 g per deciliter within 72 hours after admission to the intensive care unit and randomly assigned 418 patients to a restrictive strategy of transfusion, in which red cells were transfused if the hemoglobin concentration dropped below 7. 0 g per deciliter and hemoglobin concentrations were maintained at 7. 0 to 9. 0 g per deciliter, and 420 patients to a liberal strategy, in which transfusions were given when the hemoglobin concentration fell below 10. 0 g per deciliter and hemoglobin concentrations were maintained at 10. 0 to 12. 0 g per deciliter.