@article{3211000,
    title = "Red Blood Cell Transfusions in Greece: Results of a Survey of Red Blood Cell Use in 2013.",
    author = "Valsami, Serena and Grouzi, Elisavet and Pouliakis, Abraham and Fountoulaki-Paparisos, Leontini and Kyriakou, Elias and Gavalaki, Maria and Markopoulos, Elias and Kontopanou, Ekaterini and Tsolakis, Ioannis and Tsantes, Argyrios and Tsoka, Alexandra and Livada, Anastasia and Rekari, Vassiliki and Vgontza, Niki and Agoritsa, Dimitra and Politou, Marianna and Nousis, Stavros and Argyrou, Aspasia and Manaka, Ekaterini and Baka, Maria and Mouratidou, Maria and Tsitlakidou, Stavroula and Malekas, Konstantinos and Maltezo, Dimitrios and Papadopoulou, Paraskevi and Pournara, Vassiliki and Tirogala, Ageliki and Lysikatos, Emmanouil and Pefani, Sousanna and Stamoulis, Konstantinos",
    journal = "Turkish journal of haematology : official journal of Turkish Society of Haematology",
    year = "2017",
    volume = "34",
    number = "1",
    pages = "52--58",
    doi = "10.4274/tjh.2016.0188",
    keywords = "Humans, Greece, Surveys and Questionnaires, Hospitals, ABO Blood-Group System, Erythrocyte Transfusion/*statistics & numerical data, Erythrocytes/*cytology",
    abstract = "OBJECTIVE: Greece is ranked as the second highest consumer of blood components in Europe. For an effective transfusion system and in order to reduce variability of  transfusion practice by implementing evidence-based transfusion guidelines it is  necessary to study and monitor blood management strategies. Our study was conducted  in order to evaluate the use of red blood cell units (RBC-U) in nationwide scale  mapping parameters that contribute to their proper management in Greece. MATERIALS  AND METHODS: The survey was conducted by the Working Committee of Transfusion  Medicine&Apheresis of the Hellenic Society of Hematology from January to December  2013. The collected data included the number, ABO/D blood group, patients’  department, and storage age of RBC-U transfused. RESULTS: The number of RBC-U  evaluated was 103,702 (17.77%) out of 583,457 RBC-U transfused in Greece in 2013.  RBC-U transfused by hospital department (mean percentage) was as follows: Surgery  29.34%, Internal Medicine 29.48%, Oncology/Hematology 14.65%, Thalassemia 8.87%,  Intensive Care Unit 6.55%, Nephrology 1.78%, Obstetrics/Gynecology 1.46%,  Neonatal&Pediatric 0.31%, Private Hospitals 8.57%. RBC-U distribution according to  ABO/D blood group was: A: 39.02%, B: 12.41%, AB: 5.16%, O: 43.41%, D+: 87.99%, D-:  12.01%. The majority of RBC-U (62.46%) was transfused in the first 15 days of  storage, 25.24% at 16 to 28 days, and 12.28% at 29-42 days. CONCLUSION: Despite a  high intercenter variability in RBC transfusions, surgical and internal medicine  patients were the most common groups of patients transfused with an increasing rate  for internal medicine patients. The majority of RBC-U were transfused within the  first 15 days of storage, which is possibly the consequence of blood supply  insufficiency leading to the direct use of fresh blood. Benchmarking transfusion  activity may help to decrease the inappropriate use of blood products, reduce the  cost of care, and optimize the use of the voluntary donor’s gift."
}