Fresh Frozen Plasma Administration in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Evidence-Based Guidelines

Mario Motta; Antonio Del Vecchio; Gaetano Chirico

doi:10.1016/j.clp.2015.04.013

Fresh Frozen Plasma Administration in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Evidence-Based Guidelines

Clin Perinatol. 2015 Sep;42(3):639-50. doi: 10.1016/j.clp.2015.04.013. Epub 2015 May 16.

Authors

Mario Motta¹, Antonio Del Vecchio², Gaetano Chirico³

Affiliations

¹ Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital of Brescia, Spedali Civili of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili, Brescia 25123, Italy. Electronic address: mario.motta@spedalicivili.brescia.it.
² Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Division of Neonatology, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Di Venere Hospital, ASL Bari, Bari 70012, Italy.
³ Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital of Brescia, Spedali Civili of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili, Brescia 25123, Italy.

PMID: 26250923
DOI: 10.1016/j.clp.2015.04.013

Abstract

Neonates receiving fresh frozen plasma (FFP) should do so according to evidence-based guidelines so as to reduce inappropriate use of this life-saving and costly blood product and to minimize associated adverse effects. The consensus-based uses of FFP in neonatology involve neonates with active bleeding and associated coagulopathy. However, because of limited and poor-quality evidence, considerable FFP utilization occurs outside these recommendations. In this review, we describe what we conclude are currently the best practices for the use of FFP in neonates, including interpreting neonatal coagulation tests and strategies for reducing unnecessary FFP transfusions.

Keywords: Coagulation tests; Fresh frozen plasma; Guidelines; Neonate; Transfusion.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Blood Component Transfusion / methods*
Blood Component Transfusion / standards*
Guideline Adherence*
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal*
Plasma*