Blood Guro by the Transfusion Medicine Working Group

27/09/2026

🩸𝐅𝐀𝐐: 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝?

📍Therapeutic phlebotomy is done when blood needs to be drawn to treat an underlying medical condition.

📍Conditions treated by therapeutic phlebotomy (i.e. Polycythemia Vera or known infectious disease, underlying health conditions, or risk factors) make the blood unsafe for the community. 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝.

📍 Patients taking prescription medications or teratogenic drugs (can cause birth defects) are disqualified from contributing to the public blood supply.

📍 Medical treatments are prescribed and managed differently from voluntary community donations, hence routine donor testing is skipped and not performed.

🟢𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝑩𝒆 𝑫𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅?

▪ Hereditary Hemochromatosis: Blood banks frequently accept blood from individuals with hereditary hemochromatosis, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.

▪ Testosterone-Induced Polycythemia: Some centers accept donations if the polycythemia is strictly secondary to prescribed testosterone therapy and the 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Sources:
▫️https://ashpublications.org/blood/article/142/Supplement%201/5051/500587/Self-Sustainability-with-Therapeutic-Phlebotomy-▫️https://weareblood.org/therapeutic-phlebotomy/
▫️https://www.wcbs.org.za/2022/02/18/your-questions-answered-does-wcbs-use-blood-from-therapeutic-phlebotomy-donors/

**o

16/09/2026

🩸 PREOPERATIVE ANEMIA: ARE WE TRANSFUSING TOO SOON?
Preoperative anemia is common among patients undergoing surgery—and how we respond to it matters.

This week, let us peruse this cross-sectional study from UP–Philippine General Hospital that evaluated 500 adults undergoing elective noncardiac surgery and examined both the burden of preoperative anemia and adherence to rational blood-use practices.

Full manuscript: https://aob.amegroups.org/article/view/11862/html

09/09/2026

DEBUNKING another MYTH on BLOOD TRANSFUSION! 🩸

MYTH: Blood transfusion should be deferred or delayed due to fever.

FACTS:
📍 Having a fever is NOT a contraindication to a patient receiving blood transfusion.
📍 However, if the fever is new, clinical assessment should be done in case treating the fever is deemed to be a higher priority than the transfusion.
📍 Patients who develop fever associated with blood transfusion should be followed up closely and patient's temperature monitored.
📍 The concern is that fever may mask the febrile reaction during transfusion.
📍 Always consider the balance of benefits or risks of transfusing while with fever.

**o

02/09/2026

Ano nga ba ang sanhi ng ANEMIA?

Tuklasin ang ilang FACTS tungkol sa Anemia.

26/08/2026

Blood Transfusion FAQ:
When to start, and when to end?

**o

20/08/2026

🌟🩸This week, we reviewed an article on the impact of packed red blood cell (RBC) storage duration and product characteristics on post-transfusion hemoglobin increase in elderly patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.

🌟🩸Let’s find out what the study showed!

12/08/2026

🩸 WE’RE BACK!
It’s been a few months since our last … but we’re back! Let’s keep questioning common practices and sharing evidence-based information.

WAIT… IS THAT EVEN TRUE?
Once a patient has received 3 units of blood, give calcium gluconate to prevent citrate toxicity.

❌ MYTH — at least as a universal rule.
There is no universal guideline that says every patient must automatically receive calcium gluconate after exactly 3 units of blood.

The need for calcium depends on the clinical situation, including:
🔴 How rapidly blood products are being transfused
🔴 The total volume and type of blood products given
🔴 Ongoing massive hemorrhage
🔴 Liver function and citrate metabolism
🔴 Ionized calcium level

⚠️ WHEN SHOULD WE REALLY WORRY?
During massive transfusion, ionized calcium should be monitored and maintained within the normal range.

📌 3 units ≠ automatic calcium gluconate.
A fixed “3-unit rule” may be part of a local institutional protocol, but it should not be mistaken for a universal rule applicable to every transfusion.

Let’s —one transfusion myth at a time.

Transfuse wisely. Monitor closely. Treat the patient—not just the number.

📚 References:
- Rossaint R, et al. The European guideline on management of major bleeding and coagulopathy following trauma: sixth edition. Crit Care. 2023;27:80.
- American Association of Blood Banks (AABB). Considerations for the Use of Blood Components: Rapid or Massive Transfusion.
- Hannon M, et al. Massive transfusions and severe hypocalcemia: An opportunity for monitoring and supplementation guidelines. Transfusion. 2021;61(6):1876–1884.


**o

09/08/2026

"Nagka-anemia ka raw kasi 'low blood' ka?" 🚩
Sorry pero magkaiba 'yan ha.

Anemia = kulang sa red blood cells, kailangan ng blood test para malaman.
"Low blood" = mababang blood pressure, sukatin lang gamit ang BP monitor.

Pwede silang mangyari nang magkasabay, pero hindi sila iisa. Kaya next time may manghihilo sa inyo, huwag agad "low blood" ang sagot — baka kailangan pa ng check-up.

Tag mo yung kaibigan mong laging naguguluhan sa dalawang 'to. 👇

**o
**o

26/07/2026

Let's review the impact of RBC transfusion in Sepsis!🩸

**o
**o

🩸 MORE BLOOD = BETTER OUTCOMES?
For years, red blood cell transfusion has been a cornerstone of supportive care in critically ill patients with sepsis. But does transfusing more blood actually improve survival?
🔍 This systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 studies involving ICU patients with severe sepsis and septic shock answered the question.

📊 Look through this visual abstract for the key findings.

What transfusion threshold do you typically use in septic patients in your practice?