Red Blood Cell Transfusion to Optimize Extubation

In comparison with a liberal transfusion strategy (high haemoglobin threshold), a restrictive transfusion strategy leads to around 50% decrease in the total number of transfused red blood cells (RBC) units and 30% to 40% fewer transfused patients, without any difference in mortality. However, the optimal transfusion strategy where RBC benefits outweigh the risk of both anaemia and RBC transfusion), that depends on patients comorbidities and conditions, is likely to change over the stay in intensive care. Ventilator liberation is one of those clinical states with an increase in oxygen consumption. Low haemoglobin at the time of extubation has been identified to be associated with an increased risk of reintubation. The rate of reintubation has decreased over the last decades thanks to the development of post extubation strategies; however, reintubation remains a dreaded event associated with an increased morbidity and mortality. The hypothesis is that a single unit of RBC transfused at the time of extubation would increase the success of extubation defined by survival without reintubation at day 7.