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SHIIFT: Small Tubes to Halt Medical ICU/IMU Frequent Transfusions

Effectiveness of Small Phlebotomy Tubes in Reducing Blood Transfusions in Adult Medical Intensive Care Unit and Intermediate Care Unit Patients With Anemia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05750654
Enrollment
688
Registered
2023-03-02
Start date
2023-07-24
Completion date
2026-02-24
Last updated
2026-07-22

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

Conditions

Anemia

Keywords

Blood transfusion

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of small phlebotomy tubes to reduce RBC transfusions in medical intensive care unit (ICU) and Intermediate care unit (IMU) patients with low hemoglobin compared with standard size tubes, to compare the intervention and the control groups in regards to: ICU length of stay (LOS), ICU mortality, hospital LOS, and hospital mortality and to assess the acceptability of small phlebotomy tubes in adult ICU and IMU patients.

Interventions

DEVICESmall Phlebotomy Tube Group

In the small tubes group, the recommended blood volumes are 0.5 mL for hematology and single chemistry tests, and 1 mL when multiple chemistry tests are needed. A, a "non-formulary medication" order will be placed in the electronic medical record to alert nurses to collect blood in small tubes. Participants will continue to use small tubes anytime they are in the ICU or IMU.

DEVICEStandard Phlebotomy Tube Group

In the standard tubes group, the recommended blood volumes are 4.0 mL for hematology and 3.0 for chemistry tests.

Sponsors

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* Admission to the medical ICU or IMU. * Hemoglobin less than 10 g/dL.

Exclusion criteria

* Clinical bleeding. Defined as any bleeding needing an intervention. An intervention could be an increase in the frequency of hemoglobin monitoring, a transfusion, a procedure, or a consultation intended to prevent or treat bleeding. * Hemolytic disorder (e.g. sickle cell disease, hereditary spherocytosis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia). * Bone marrow disorder (e.g. aplastic anemia, leukemia, marrow infiltration disorder, chemotherapy within the last 8 weeks). * Jehovah's Witnesses. * Patient is comfort care measures only. * Refractory shock: Mean arterial blood pressure below 65 mmHg despite maximal doses of 3 vasopressors. Maximal dose of vasopressors are as follows: Norepinephrine 70 mcg/min; vasopressin 0.03 units/min; epinephrine 35 mcg/min; dopamine 20 mcg/kg/min; phenylephrine 350 mcg/min. * Severe acidosis: pH below 7 in more than one arterial blood gas in the past 24 hours, in the absence of diabetic ketoacidosis. * Surgical admission diagnosis. * Pregnancy. * Current prisoner

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Number of participants that receive a red blood cell (RBC) transfusion during hospitalizationup to 30 days after randomization

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
Number of RBC units transfused during hospitalizationup to 30 days after randomization
Length of stay in ICUcompletion of study (up to 90 days from enrollment)
Number of participants that died while in ICUcompletion of study (up to 90 days from enrollment)
Length of stay in hospitalcompletion of study (up to 90 days from enrollment)
Number of participants that died while in hospitalcompletion of study (up to 90 days from enrollment)
Acceptability of small tubes as assessed by determining the number of patients that switch from small tubes to standard tubesup to 30 days after randomization

Countries

United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORJavier Barreda Garcia, MD

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jul 23, 2026