Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33179803›Full record

ArticleJournal of clinical apheresis2021

Parasite burden and red blood cell exchange transfusion for babesiosis.

Jane O'Bryan, Amit Gokhale, Jeanne E Hendrickson, Peter J Krause

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of clinical apheresis, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 18% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Guideline
  2. Human babesiosis: The past, present and future.Expert reviews in molecular medicine · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Human Babesiosis in Europe.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Jane O'BryanDepartment of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2909-8200
Amit GokhaleDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Jeanne E HendricksonDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Peter J KrauseDepartment of Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Yale University · US

Funding

Yale Clinical and Translational Science Award (U Component)UL1TR001863 · NCATS · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI John H. Krystal, LUCILA OHNO-MACHADO · 2016 to 2026
$102.9M
Gordon and Llura Gund FoundationNCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001863
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe association between parasite burden and end-organ dysfunction in subjects with Babesia microti infection has not been extensively studied, nor has the optimal role of red blood cell exchange (RCE) transfusion in babesiosis treatment. This retrospective chart review evaluates the associations between parasitemia, end-organ dysfunction, and outcomes in babesiosis patients treated with antimicrobial agents and RCE compared to those treated with antimicrobial agents alone. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe evaluated adults (≥18 years of age) with laboratory-confirmed babesiosis who were admitted between 2011 and 2017 to Yale New Haven Hospital, located in a Babesia-endemic region of the Northeastern United States. Patient demographics, parasitemia levels, clinical and laboratory indicators of end-organ dysfunction, and outcomes were examined.

resultsNinety-one subjects (mean age 65.1 years, 69.2% male) were studied. Subjects were stratified according to peak parasitemia: <1% (n = 34), 1-5% (n = 24), 5-10% (n = 15), and >10% (n = 18). Laboratory measures indicating degrees of hemolysis, coagulopathy, and pulmonary, renal and hepatic dysfunction differed significantly across peak parasitemia levels. Median length of hospital stay increased with each successive peak parasitemia level (P < .001). These results indicate a strong association between peak parasitemia level and disease severity. Nineteen subjects underwent RCE, all with peak parasitemia ≥9% and some degree of end-organ dysfunction.

conclusionsBabesia microti parasitemia is closely associated with disease severity, though not all subjects with end-organ dysfunction had high-grade parasitemia. Our data suggest that the use of parasitemia >10%, coupled with clinical status, is a reasonable indicator for RCE in babesiosis patients.

Indexed as

AgedAged, 80 and overBabesiosisErythrocyte TransfusionFemaleHumansLength of StayMaleMiddle AgedParasitemiaRetrospective StudiesSeverity of Illness Indexbabesiosisexchange transfusionorgan dysfunctionparasite burden

Identifiers

PMID33179803
PMCPMC9517950
OpenAlexW3100191960

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.