Guidelines for transfusion support in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Transfusion Practices Committee of the American Association of Blood Banks.

We have reviewed the impact of evolving issues in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on transfusion support for these patients. Issues include increased awareness of transfusion risks, reappraisal of traditional indicators triggering transfusion, and evolving alternatives to homologous blood transfusion such as autologous blood and pharmacologic therapy. These issues have been prompted by programs, such as the National Institutes of Health Consensus Conferences, to provide physicians with guidelines for appropriate use of blood components.

Strategies for the review of transfusion practices.

The intent of this report is to familiarize health care professionals with the concept of effective quality assurance in regard to blood use. Although evaluation of the appropriateness of transfusion therapy is now required by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Organizations, health care facilities have little experience with this aspect of professional quality assurance. To this end, the Committee on Transfusion Practices of the American Association of Blood Banks, in Arlington, Va, in this report has provided examples of indications and audit criteria for individual blood components and products and commented on areas of controversy surrounding their use.

Choline uptake is increased by Ca++ and liposomes+ Ca++ in ascites tumor cells.

Steady-state uptake of choline by Lettre-Ehrlich tumor cells in vitro, resulting in cell-to-medium ratios of 10 or more, is significantly increased by 0.2-1.0 mM Ca++ as well as by dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline multilamellar liposomes + Ca++.