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TRACS STUDY: Transfusion Requirements After Cardiac Surgery

Transfusion Requirements After Cardiac Surgery: a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial (TRACS STUDY)

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01021631
Acronym
TRACS
Enrollment
500
Registered
2009-11-30
Start date
2009-02-28
Completion date
2010-04-30
Last updated
2009-11-30

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Cardiac Surgery

Keywords

Cardiac surgery, Strategies of transfusion, Red blood cells, Liberal, Restrictive, Anemia

Brief summary

Blood transfusion is related to worse outcomes and the triggers for red blood cells transfusion are not well defined in cardiac surgery. Retrospective studies in cardiac surgery do not show benefits of red blood cell transfusion in reduction of morbidity and mortality in cardiac surgery. There are no prospective studies comparing outcomes between restrictive or liberal strategy in cardiac surgery.This study is a double-blind randomized study comparing clinical outcomes between two strategies of transfusion in cardiac surgery - liberal or restrictive.

Detailed description

Blood transfusion is commonly performed in patients submitted to cardiac surgery. However, there are many studies reporting adverse effects of this intervention and final data on benefits are not available. There are no prospective studies in cardiac surgery regarding red blood cell transfusions requirements. There are retrospective studies in cardiac surgery suggesting worse outcomes including higher rates of mortality in patients submitted to red blood transfusion. Hematocrit levels around 30% are usually recommended not evidence based. Our purpose is to prospectively evaluate two strategies of transfusion in 500 patients submitted to elective cardiac surgery: a liberal strategy - patients receive blood transfusion when hematocrit is lower than 30% since the intraoperative period until the ICU discharge; a restrictive strategy - patients receive blood transfusion only when hematocrit is lower than 24%. Clinical outcomes, costs and quality of life will be compared.

Interventions

OTHERRed blood cell transfusion

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion will be given when hematocrit fall below 30% since intraoperative until the discharge of intensive care unit. Following administration of the 1 RBC unit, a repeat hematocrit is performed;if a patient's hematocrit is 30% or higher, no additional transfusion is necessary.

Sponsors

Instituto do Coracao
Lead SponsorOTHER_GOV

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* All elective primary and redo adult cardiac surgical patients for coronary artery bypass grafting, valve procedure or combined procedures * Adults patients * Written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

* Age less than 18 years * Transplant procedures * Emergency procedures * Aortic repairs * Congenital procedures * Previous anemia (hemoglobin lower than 10 g/dL) * Previous thrombocytopenia (platelet number lower than 100.000/mm3) * Previous known coagulopathy * Pregnancy * Those unable to receive blood transfusion * Patients who refused participation in the study

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
The primary purpose of this study is to compare clinical outcomes after cardiac surgery in patients submitted to different strategies of red blood cell transfusion30 days after surgery

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
To compare length of stay in ICU, length of stay in Hospital, health-related quality of life, hospital costs and mortality between groups.3 months

Countries

Brazil

Contacts

Primary ContactLudhmila A Hajjar, MD
ludhmila@terra.com.br55-11-93194401
Backup ContactFilomena R Galas, MD, PhD
filomenagalas@hotmail.com55-11-93190441

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 30, 2026