Audit of the Use of Fresh Frozen Plasma in UK

Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) may be associated with high rates of inappropriate transfusion with some studies indicating rates of up to 50 per cent non-compliance with established guidelines. The current British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH) guidelines on the use of FFP aim to reinforce the message regarding avoidance of its inappropriate use. An audit of FFP use in 2007 in the South Central region, revealed that FFP was used for warfarin reversal in 26 per cent of the cases audited. FFP weight related dosage was poorly implemented with weight being recorded in only 32 per cent of cases. The 2009 National Comparative Audit (NCA) programme indicated that FFP continued to be used for warfarin reversal and, was frequently given where there was no evidence of actual bleeding. An audit of FFP use in the South West in one large hospital, found that following a period of intensive educational measures, appropriate use of FFP improved dramatically, particularly with respect to use for warfarin reversal. An earlier East Midlands (EM) regional audit into FFP use, demonstrated that there was continued use of FFP for warfarin reversal, under dosing with poor weight recording and transfusion of FFP, with normal pre-transfusion coagulation continued.

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26063 Blood and Transplant Matters (Issue 44).indd - blood_matters_44.pdf

Source: Blood and transplants matter