Short and long-term clinical effects of blood donor characteristics in transfusion recipients

Transfusion of blood products are lifesaving interventions. Each year in Canada, more than 1.5 million blood products (red blood cells, platelets, plasma and others) are transfused to the Canadian population. Blood products are however a finite resource and their use is not without risk. It is hence of a paramount importance to optimize their safe use and to determine the population to whom it will benefit. Before being transfused, blood products have to match to the specific characteristics of the patient. Numerous studies have been and still are conducted to obtain blood products of the highest quality regarding donors' selection, blood retrieval and screening, blood preservation and transfusion indications. The present research project aims to determine if blood donors' characteristics such as age, gender and blood compatibility are associated with different outcomes such as mortality or other adverse events for transfused patients. To do so, we will analyze blood donors' characteristics and transfused patients outcomes using data obtained from Canadian Blood Services, the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and four major academic hospitals in Ontario. The results of this project will provide important information regarding the use of red blood cells products in Canada. At the patients' and health providers' level, it will help identify blood donors' characteristics associated with significant clinical outcomes, potentially leading to novel research opportunities to improve transfusion outcomes or to a better selection of blood donors. Research results and the database coming from this research project will allow policy-makers to use obtained data for quality monitoring purposes and to potentially improve the optimal utilization of blood products in Canada.

FERGUSSON, Dean

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Canadian Blood Services-CIHR Partnership Operating Grant Program

British Columbia

$103,806