Utilization of blood and blood products among pediatric patients admitted to St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background : Transfusion of blood components is an integral part of health care practice. Many times there will be injudicious use of blood and its products among physicians. There is limited data on blood product utilization and appropriateness in pediatrics. Objective: To assess the appropriateness of utilization of blood products among pediatric patients. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1, 2018 to December 30, 2018 G.C. Data were collected from blood bank log book and patient charts. Pediatrics patients who were transfused with any form of blood product were included. Patient’s age, gender, address, type of transfusion ordered, documentation of indications for transfusion, amount of transfusion was assessed based on the Blood Center of Wisconsin transfusion guideline. Result: Five hundred and eleven (511) transfusion episodes were documented. The magnitude of pediatric blood product utilization is 12.5%. From this 31.4% transfusion was PRBC, 20.7% whole blood, 25.6% platelet and 19.6% FFP. From all transfusions, 28% are inappropriately transfused. 34.9% of whole blood, 34.5% of PRBC, 23% of FFP and 17.6% of platelets transfusions are inappropriate. Only 1/5th of the blood products taken for NICU were transfused. Conclusion: There is significant inappropriate usage of blood products. PRBCs and whole blood were inappropriately utilized.