Objective: The objective of this study is to critically assess the diverse indications for HAS administration over the past 8 years at a prominent tertiary care institution in the United Kingdom.
Background: This is timely and relevant, given recent developments in the field. The International Collaborative Transfusion Medicine Group (ICTMG) issued updated guidance on intravenous albumin use in March 2024, reflecting a shift towards more stringent criteria for its application, which necessitates a re-evaluation of current practices.
Method: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the usage of HAS from August 2015 to March 2023. Records of all patients who received HAS during this study period were extracted from the Electronic Patient Records (EPR) of Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust London (GSTFT). Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.
Results: A total of 4816 patients received HAS during the audit period, with 21 231 HAS infusions. The majority of infusions were for 20% HAS, with 16 772 (79% of total) infusions for 20% HAS in 4145 patients. A total of 4459 (21%) infusions were recorded for 4.5 and 5% HAS.
Conclusion: Our study provides a comprehensive analysis of albumin utilisation and TPE indications over the past 8 years at our institution, establishing a crucial baseline for refining our practices.