Outpatient transfusions and occurrence of serious noninfectious transfusion-related complications among US elderly, 2007-2008: utility of large administrative databases in blood safety research.

Background: Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) and hemolytic transfusion reactions account for significant transfusion-related morbidity and mortality in the United States. Our study evaluated types and quantities of transfused components as well as occurrence of TRALI, ABO, and Rh incompatibilities among the US elderly in the institutional outpatient setting during 2007 to 2008.

Study Design And Methods: This retrospective claims-based study utilized the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' large administrative databases.

Babesiosis among elderly Medicare beneficiaries, United States, 2006-2008.

We used administrative databases to assess babesiosis among elderly persons in the United States by year, sex, age, race, state of residence, and diagnosis months during 2006-2008. The highest babesiosis rates were in Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and Massachusetts, and findings suggested babesiosis expansion to other states.