Transfusion demand related to diagnosis-related groups and gender – an analysis from the Blut-MV study

Patient demographics have a major influence on transfusion demands in an aging population. The Blut-MV study is a prospective longitudinal study conducted to monitor patient and donor demographics and to forecast blood donations and transfusion demands in the federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (MWP). Here, we aimed to investigate the impact of diagnosis-related groups and gender on transfusion demands.

Patient demographics (date of birth, gender, patient classification [medical, critically-ill, surgical and pediatric]) and diagnosis-related groups (DRG) were analyzed for each transfusion recipient receiving red blood cell concentrates (RBC) in 2020.

In 2020, a total of 70,555 red blood cell concentrates (RBCs) were transfused in MWP, corresponding to a decrease of -14.6% compared to 2015. For 55,213 transfused RBCs (78.3%) DRGs of RBC recipients were available. Overall, transfusion demands in medical patients increased by 2.6% since 2015. Four DRG major diagnostic categories are responsible for almost 2/3 (58.7%) of the transfusion demand: diseases of the digestive system (15.7%, G), musculoskeletal diseases (15.0%, I), special cases (14.3 %; A, e.g. ventilation) and diseases of the circulatory system (13.6%, F) (Fig. 1). In female patients, most RBCs were transfused to patients with musculoskeletal diseases (22.5%,I), whereas in males special cases showed the highest demand (17.3%,A).

Patient demographics, gender, and diagnosis-related groups are items that allow to identify new developments in blood transfusion demands over time. Monitoring of these items will be crucial to design management strategies addressing transfusion requirements in an aging population.

Dr. Schönborn was supported within the Gerhard-Domagk-Research-Program by the University Medicine Greifswald.

Andreas Greinacher reports grants and non-financial support from Aspen, Boehringer Ingelheim, MSD, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), Paringenix, Bayer Healthcare, Gore Inc., Rovi, Sagent, Biomarin/Prosensa, personal fees from Aspen, Boehringer Ingelheim, MSD, Macopharma, BMS, Chromatec, Werfen (Instrumentation Laboratory), and non-financial support from Boehringer Ingelheim, Portola, Ergomed, GTH e.V., Universitätsmedizin Greifswald is one of the owners of a patent for a solid phase assay to detect HIT and VITT antibodies.

All other authors declare no conflict of interest.