Advancing Pediatric Platelet Transfusion—From Vein to Vein

In this study, Goel and colleagues 1 use a 29-institution database of blood products and patient recipients to study the use of platelet transfusions in neonatal and pediatric patients aged 0 to 18 years.The goal of Goel et al 1 was to assess the epidemiology of platelet transfusions in this population, specifically to search for product and patient parameters that may be associated with clinical need, outcome, and transfusion efficacy.The project is part of the Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study-IV-Pediatric (REDS-IV-P) program, 2 a research program focused on improving blood donor safety and optimize transfusion outcomes across the lifespan that is cofunded by 2 National Institutes of Health centers, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. 2 The first REDS research program originated in 1989 with support from NHLBI to respond to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.