A Learning Health System Approach to Improve the Effectiveness of Blood Transfusions during Septic Shock

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Septic shock is a common, often fatal, dysregulated host response to infection that results in acute circulatory failure. Almost all patients with septic shock either have anemia (i.e., low blood counts) on presentation or develop anemia during hospitalization and anemia in septic shock is strongly associated with morbidity and

mortality. Almost 60% of patients with septic shock receive autologous red blood cell transfusions to treat anemia once hemoglobin levels drop below 7.0 g/dL (threshold-based transfusion strategy). However, there is conflicting guidance and evidence for whether all patients with septic shock and hemoglobin levels