Moderate exposure to allogeneic blood products is not associated with reduced long-term survival after surgery for coronary artery disease.

Background: It has been suggested that blood transfusion has an adverse effect on long-term health, mainly through immune modulation and tumor promotion. To further assess this concern, the authors have performed a prospective observational study with the hypothesis that after taking perioperative risk factors relevant to long-term survival into account, patients undergoing coronary artery surgery who receive a perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion have worse long-term survival than those who do not.

Methods: The health outcomes of 1,841 consecutive subjects who had isolated nonemergency first-time coronary artery surgery and who survived more than 60 days after surgery were determined by record linkage.

The effect of preoperative aspirin-free interval on red blood cell transfusion requirements in cardiac surgical patients.

Objective: To compare red blood cell transfusion in first-time coronary artery surgery patients who stopped taking aspirin < or = 2 days, 3 to 7 days, or >7 days preoperatively.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: University-affiliated teaching hospital.