Devices to Reduce the Volume of Blood Taken for Laboratory Testing in ICU Patients: A Systematic Review.

Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are at high risk of anemia, which is associated with adverse clinical outcomes and death. Blood sampling for diagnostic testing is a potentially modifiable contributor to anemia.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review by searching MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to October 5, 2017, for studies reporting the volume of blood taken for laboratory testing using blood sampling conservation devices compared to standard care or another intervention in adult ICU patients.