Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: October | Volume: 9 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 111-118
Pattern and Indications for Neonatal Blood Transfusion in Ogbomoso, Southwestern Nigeria
Victor Idowu Joel-Medewase1, Joyce Kehinde Olufemi-Aworinde2, Ayobami Oyetunji Alabi3, Efeturi Agelebe4, Olusegun Joseph Adebami5
1Consultant Neonatologist, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria.
2Consultant Haematologist, Department of Haematology, BOWEN University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria.
3Consultant Paediatrician, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria.
4Consultant Paediatician, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, BOWEN University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria.
5Professor/Consultant Neonatologist, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.
Corresponding Author: Victor Idowu Joel-Medewase
ABSTRACT
Background: Neonates are among the most transfused patients in the hospital due to the reduced marrow activity in the neonatal period and common illnesses in the newborn that can be associated with haemolysis or blood loss resulting into anaemia. In spite of the huge need for the use of blood products among the newborns, there is paucity of local data on neonatal blood transfusion and the adherence to transfusion guidelines in Nigeria.
Objective: To determine the pattern, indications and immediate outcome of blood transfusion in the special care baby unit (SCBU) of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: Newborn babies who required blood transfusions between February 2012 and December 2016, were retrospectively studied. The gestational age, birth weight, sex, clinical conditions, indications for transfusion, type of blood product transfused, and the outcome were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics.
Results: A total of 905 neonates were hospitalized and 106 (11.7%) had blood transfusion; 58 (54.7%) had exchange blood transfusion, 93 (87.7%) had red cells transfusion and 10 (9.4%) had plasma transfusion. Seventy-five (70.8%) had multiple transfusions. The main indications for blood transfusion were severe anaemia (50.9%), severe hyperbilirubinaemia (23.6%), anaemia combined with hyperbilirubinaemia (21.7%) and bleeding disorders (3.8%). Overall, 161 transfusions were done for the 106 subjects and the majority (59.4%) were preterm babies. Referred babies constituted most (64.2%) of the subjects. Major transfusion reactions were rare in the studied population. However, 11.3% of the subjects developed necrotizing enterocolitis following blood transfusion.
Conclusion: The prevalence of neonatal blood transfusion was high in this facility and prematurity, severe anaemia and hyperbilirubinaemia rank high in the indications. Improvement of the strategies to identify infants at greater risk for multiple transfusions and the implementation of prophylactic measures can reduce the incidence of significant anaemia and the rate of blood transfusion.
Key words: Blood, products, newborn and transfusion