Hot Topics in Pediatric Transfusion Medicine
Program Code: 9322-TC
Monday, October 26, 2009
2:00 PM to 5:30 PM (ET)

MODERATOR
Steven Sloan, MD, PhD, Children's Hospital Boston

SPEAKERS
David Friedman, MD, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Steven Sloan, MD, PhD, Children's Hospital Boston
Rowena Punzalan, MD, Blood Center of Wisconsin
Stanislaw Urbaniak, BSc, MBChB, PhD, FRCP, FRCPath, University of Aberdeen

DESCRIPTION
This session will critically evaluate current knowledge and recent clinical and scientific studies on pediatric transfusion medicine. Neonates, especially premature infants, are at an increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage and are at risk for perturbations in the clotting system. Some of these perturbations are normally associated with their age while others are pathologic, such as neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia. The interpretation of laboratory tests and indications for plasma, platelet, and factor infusions for these patients will be described. Also, premature infants normally are anemic and frequently receive RBC transfusions. Recent studies to determine optimal RBC transfusion strategies will be described and evaluated, including data from follow-up of the patients in these studies. The risk: benefit ratio for RBC transfusions for older children will be discussed.