SynthesisTransfusion2025
The clinical use of platelet transfusions: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis on behalf of the International Collaboration for Transfusion Medicine Guidelines.
Synthesis in Transfusion, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Assessing bleeding risk by thromboelastography when automated platelet count fails due to giant platelets.Blood vessels, thrombosis & hemostasis · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPlatelets are frequently transfused, but supply and potential harms highlight the importance of appropriate use. STUDY DESIGN AND
methodsOur systematic review (SR) followed a predefined protocol. Eligible studies included SRs, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and matched cohort observational studies between 1946 and March 2025. Populations included were hypoproliferative thrombocytopenia, periprocedural prophylaxis, cardiovascular surgery, consumptive thrombocytopenia, and intracranial hemorrhage. The intervention was restrictive versus liberal platelet transfusion strategies on outcomes of mortality and bleeding. Duplicate screening and data extraction occurred. Meta-analysis used Mantel-Haenszel method of random effects model.
resultsTwenty-one RCTs, 24 observational studies, and 20 SRs were included. The evidence quality varied. For hypoproliferative thrombocytopenia, 11 RCTs were analyzed, with 9 RCTs at moderate risk of bias (ROB). Two RCTs were identified for dengue, with high ROB for bleeding. One RCT was identified each in cardiovascular surgery, intracranial hemorrhage, and periprocedural prophylaxis. Meta-analyses indicated no significant effect for outcomes of mortality or bleeding by strategy, but confidence intervals (CIs) were wide. Effect estimates were 1.32 [0.93, 1.86] for all-cause mortality in hypoproliferative thrombocytopenia, 0.80 [0.38, 1.70] in cardiovascular surgery, and 0.69 [0.47, 1.03] in critically ill neonates or dengue patients. DISCUSSION: A consistent lack of benefit with liberal platelet transfusion was observed across analyzed populations, although wide confidence intervals do not exclude clinically meaningful impacts. Important research gaps are highlighted in areas where the RCT data is limited.
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Registered trials
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.