Lead investigator
Ruth Gottstein
St Mary's Hospital
Oxford Road
Manchester M13 9WL
Email: ruth.gottstein@cmft.nhs.uk
About the study
Overview
Exchange blood transfusion (EBT) is now rare but remains an emergency treatment for very high or rapid rising serum bilirubin levels that are not responding to treatment with phototherapy. There is very little known about how often the procedure is performed currently in the UK and Ireland, or the complication rate. This information would be useful to inform medical practice and for counselling parents regarding consent for the procedure.
The study aims to ascertain the current incidence and complication rates (including death) of EBT, as well as the practical difficulties of performing an EBT. There is insufficient understanding of the effect of current EBT procedures on the baby’s clotting and platelet count, and therefore uncertainty about when the baby should have additional blood component support.
Systematic collection of routinely available laboratory data will better enable recommendations for future practice and neonatal exchange red cell component development. A better understanding of the current incidence of adverse metabolic outcomes as a result of EBT, morbidity and mortality will be invaluable to guide future practice.
You can download the protocol card, including references, below.
Case definition
Any infant up to and including the age of 28 days undergoing an EBT during the past month.
Duration
October 2014 to October 2015 inclusive (13 months of surveillance).
Funding
NHS Blood and Transplant Trustees Fund Grant & NICU Endowment Fund, St. Mary’s Hospital, Manchester.
Approval
This study has been approved by NRES Committee – North West – Greater Manchester Central (REC reference: 13/NW/0063; IRAS project ID: 115143) and has been granted Section 251 HRA-CAG permission (CAG Reference: 14/CAG/1010).
Support group
Partners
