Trial Outcomes & Findings for ORthopaedic Trauma Anemia With Conservative Versus Liberal Transfusion (NCT NCT02972593)

NCT ID: NCT02972593

Last Updated: 2023-06-29

Results Overview

Deep infection is defined as the need for intravenous antibiotics and/or a return to surgery for debridement. Superficial infection is defined as clinical diagnosis of cellulitis or other superficial infection treated with oral antibiotics only.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

PHASE4

Target enrollment

161 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

one year

Results posted on

2023-06-29

Participant Flow

Participants were recruited based on physician referral at 3 level 1 trauma centers between March 2014 and May 2021. The first patient was enrolled on March 11, 2014 and the last participant was enrolled on May 7, 2021.

Screening/IC done on 161 patients with a Hgb of ≤9g/dL or whose Hgb was expected to drop below 9g/dL with planned procedures/continued (controlled) bleeding. Randomization assignment occurred once patient's Hgb dropped below 7g/dL. Out of the 161 patient that consented, there were 61 whose Hgb did not drop below 7g/dL and randomization was not performed on. Those 61 patients were considered screen failures, leaving 100 patients who were randomized to either liberal or conservative transfusion.

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Liberal
Blood and blood products for transfusion. Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \>7 g/dL. Blood and blood products for transfusion: Randomization would not occur until the patient's Hgb dropped below 7 g/dL. If the patient is randomized to the liberal arm, they would be transfused to keep their Hgb \>7 g/dL.
Conservative
Blood and blood products for transfusion. Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \> 5.5 g/dL. If the patient is randomized to the conservative arm, they would not be transfused until their Hgb drops below 5.5 g/dL.
Overall Study
STARTED
50
50
Overall Study
COMPLETED
30
35
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
20
15

Reasons for withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal
Measure
Liberal
Blood and blood products for transfusion. Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \>7 g/dL. Blood and blood products for transfusion: Randomization would not occur until the patient's Hgb dropped below 7 g/dL. If the patient is randomized to the liberal arm, they would be transfused to keep their Hgb \>7 g/dL.
Conservative
Blood and blood products for transfusion. Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \> 5.5 g/dL. If the patient is randomized to the conservative arm, they would not be transfused until their Hgb drops below 5.5 g/dL.
Overall Study
Lost to Follow-up
19
15
Overall Study
Protocol Violation
1
0

Baseline Characteristics

ORthopaedic Trauma Anemia With Conservative Versus Liberal Transfusion

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Liberal Transfusion
n=49 Participants
Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \>7 g/dL.
Conservative Transfusion
n=50 Participants
Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \> 5.5 g/dL.
Total
n=99 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
49 Participants
n=5 Participants
50 Participants
n=7 Participants
99 Participants
n=5 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
16 Participants
n=5 Participants
19 Participants
n=7 Participants
35 Participants
n=5 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
33 Participants
n=5 Participants
31 Participants
n=7 Participants
64 Participants
n=5 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
5 Participants
n=7 Participants
7 Participants
n=5 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
45 Participants
n=5 Participants
4 Participants
n=7 Participants
49 Participants
n=5 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
41 Participants
n=7 Participants
43 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
20 Participants
n=5 Participants
18 Participants
n=7 Participants
38 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
27 Participants
n=5 Participants
29 Participants
n=7 Participants
56 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
3 Participants
n=7 Participants
5 Participants
n=5 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
49 participants
n=5 Participants
50 participants
n=7 Participants
99 participants
n=5 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: one year

Deep infection is defined as the need for intravenous antibiotics and/or a return to surgery for debridement. Superficial infection is defined as clinical diagnosis of cellulitis or other superficial infection treated with oral antibiotics only.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Liberal
n=49 Participants
Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \>7 g/dL.
Conservative
n=50 Participants
Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \> 5.5 g/dL.
Postoperative Wound Infection (Superficial or Deep) or Other Perioperative Infection
12 Participants
3 Participants

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: one year

Combined (any) Secondary Outcomes: pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis, acute renal failure or insufficiency, nonunion, delayed union, compartment syndrome, osteomyelitis, nerve palsy, anoxic brain injury, cardiac ischemia or infarct, pancreatitis, or death.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Liberal
n=49 Participants
Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \>7 g/dL.
Conservative
n=50 Participants
Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \> 5.5 g/dL.
Combined Secondary Outcomes
7 Participants
6 Participants

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: one year

Population: Sixty five patients completed 1 year follow up but 5 declined to complete the MFA, leaving sixty patients that completed 1 year MFA.

The Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (MFA) evaluates the health status of patients with musculoskeletal disorders of the extremities, including patients with fractures and soft tissue injuries, repetitive motion disorders, osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. It describes patient functioning, assesses outcomes of surgical interventions and clinical trials, and monitors patients' functional status over time. The MFA is scored from 0 to 100 with 0 representing no dysfunction. Higher MFA scores/values represent a higher levels of dysfunction or worse outcome.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Liberal
n=29 Participants
Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \>7 g/dL.
Conservative
n=31 Participants
Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \> 5.5 g/dL.
Musculoskeletal Function Assessment
35.9 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 21.1
28.2 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 19.4

Adverse Events

Liberal

Serious events: 7 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Conservative

Serious events: 6 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Serious adverse events
Measure
Liberal
n=49 participants at risk
Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \>7 g/dL.
Conservative
n=50 participants at risk
Transfusion will be done to keep Hgb \> 5.5 g/dL.
Vascular disorders
Secondary DVT
4.1%
2/49 • Number of events 2 • 1 year
2.0%
1/50 • Number of events 1 • 1 year
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI)
10.2%
5/49 • Number of events 5 • 1 year
10.0%
5/50 • Number of events 5 • 1 year

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Dr. Brian H. Mullis

Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Phone: 317-963-1966

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place