Journal of

  Abstract

 Background and Objectives

 Clinical use of blood components seems to be inappropriate in Iran. The aim of this study was to evaluate blood utilization patterns in Rasht.

 Materials and Methods

 This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Data about blood orders issued at day 20 of each month during the year 2007 were obtained from 5 hospitals. Data were analyzed by T-test with SPSS 15 descriptively for 491 cases. For all hospitals and wards, crossmatch/transfusion ratio (C/T) was calculated and compared separately.

 Results

 C/T=1/9 compared to the expected ratio was normal but significant differences were observed among different centers. The highest and lowest orders were from surgery (42.8%) and internal wards (7.1%), respectively. In surgical ward, the mean hemoglobin concentration of recipients was 9.03 ± 2.19 g/dl.

 Conclusions

 Packed cell utilization in Rasht was normal but not ideal. In this study, blood utilization model in obstetrics and gynecology ward was appropriate. This may suggest an active and effective blood transfusion committee in hospitals. It seems that the lack of hospital blood transfusion committees with no experienced doctors attending, lack of executive support and external audit of hospital blood bank agenda, the lack of software integration between blood centers and hospitals, the lack of type and screening for patients, and importantly free of charge blood dispensation are major obstacles in reforming blood utilization patterns, running haemovigilance system, and raising quality.

 Key words : Blood, Blood Grouping and Crossmatching, Iran