Pediatric patients with malignancies or benign hematologic diseases are a heterogeneous group with complicated underlying pathophysiologies leading to their requirements for transfusion therapy. Common practice among pediatric hematologists, oncologists, and transplant physicians is to transfuse stable patients red cells to maintain a hemoglobin greater than 7 or 8 g/dL and transfuse platelets to maintain a count greater than 10,000 or 20,000 platelets/μL. This review compiles data from myriad studies performed in pediatric patients to give readers the knowledge needed to make an informed choice when considering different management strategies for the transfusion of red blood cells, platelets, plasma, and granulocytes.
Keywords: Anemia; Granulocyte transfusion; Pediatrics; Platelet transfusion; Red blood cell transfusion; Thrombocytopenia; Transfusions.
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