Thromboelastography does not reduce transfusion requirements in liver transplantation: A propensity score-matched study

Abstract

Study objective: To compare total blood product requirements in liver transplantation (LT) assisted by thromboelastography (TEG) or conventional coagulation tests (CCTs).

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Setting: A tertiary care referral center for LT.

Patients: Adult patients undergoing LT from deceased donor.

Intervention: Hemostasis was monitored by TEG or CCTs and corresponding transfusion algorithms were adopted.

Measurements: Number and types of blood products (red blood cells, RBC; fresh-frozen plasma, FFP; platelets, PLT) transfused from the beginning of surgery until the admission to the intensive care unit.

Methods: We compared data retrospectively collected in 226 LTs, grouped according to the type of hemostasis monitoring (90 with TEG and 136 with CCTs, respectively). Confounding variables affecting transfusion needs (recipient age, sex, previous hepatocellular carcinoma surgery, Model for End Stage Liver Disease - MELD, baseline hemoglobin, fibrinogen, creatinine, veno-venous by pass, and trans-jugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt) were managed by propensity score match (PSM).

Main results: The preliminary analysis showed that patients in the TEG group received fewer total blood products (RBC + FFP + PLT; p = 0.001, FFP (p = 0.001), and RBC (p = 0.001). After PSM, 89 CCT patients were selected and matched to the 90 TEG patients. CCT and TEG matched patients received similar amount of total blood products. In a subgroup of 39 patients in the top MELD quartile (MELD ≥25), the TEG use resulted in lower consumption of FFP units and total blood products. Nevertheless, due to the low number of patients, any meaningful conclusion could be achieved in this subgroup.

Conclusions: In our experience, TEG-guided transfusion in LT does not reduce the intraoperative blood product consumption. Further studies are warranted to assess an advantage for TEG in either the entire LT population or the high-MELD subgroup of patients.

Keywords: Blood product transfusion; Hemostasis monitoring; Liver transplantation; Patient-centered care; Thromboelastography; Viscoelastic tests.