Emergency blood transfusion practices among anaemic children presenting to an urban emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Tanzania

Table 1 Demography and severity of anaemia^a

Demographic characteristics	All (N = 257)	Indications (N = 125)	No indications (N = 132)	P-value
Gender				0.6
Male	158 (61.5%)	75 (60%)	83 (62.9%)
Female	99 (38.5%)	50 (40%)	49 (37.1%)
Age (months)	16 (8–31)	14 (6.5–26)	18 (9–34)	0.07
Referral				<0.0001
Patient presenting from home	61 (23.7%)	13 (10.4%)	48 (36.4%)
Referral from another healthcare facility	196 (76.3%)	112 (89.6%)	84 (63.6%)
Severity of anaemia				<0.0001
Mild	47 (18.3%)	0	47 (35.6%)
Moderate	102 (39.7%)	24(19.2%)	78 (59.1%)
Severe	108 (42.0%)	101 (80.8%)	7 (5.3%)
Vitals
Heart rate (beats/min)	147 (131–164)	151 (136–166)	143.5 (124–161.5)	0.02
Age-adjusted tachycardia^d	58 (22.5%)	40 (32%)	29 (22%)	0.02
Respiratory rate (breath/min)	33 (29–38)	34 (30–49)	33 (28–36)	0.08
Age-adjusted tachypnea^b	160 (64.3%)	59 (47.2%)	82 (62.1%)	0.01
SPO2% < 95%	23 (8.9%)	12 (9.6%)	11 (8.3%)	0.89
Temperature % < 36, > 38^c	49 (20.2%)	29 (21.6%)	20 (15.2%)	0.21

^aData are summarized as counts (percentage) or median (interquartile range)
^bRespiratory rate data were missing for 8 patients
^cTemperature data were missing for 38 patients
^dAge adjusted tachycardia was defined as heart rates >180 beats/min in children less than 2 years and >140 beats/min in children aged 2–5 years, while the age adjusted tachypnea was defined as respiratory rates >34 breaths/min in children less than 2 years and >22 breaths/min in children 2–5 years. (Cited from International paediatric sepsis consensus conference: definition for sepsis and organ dysfunction in paediatrics)
Table 1 shows overall patient demographics, severity of anaemia and comparison of these characteristics between those with indications for transfusion and those with no indications for transfusion

ISSN: 2052-1839