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Background: Antifibrinolytic medications have been associated with reduced mortality in pediatric hemorrhage but may contribute to adverse events such as acute kidney injury (AKI). Study Design and Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of the MAssive Transfusion in Children (MATIC), a prospectively collected database of children with life‐threatening hemorrhage (LTH), and evaluated for risk of adverse events with either antifibrinolytic treatment, epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) or tranexamic acid (TXA). The primary outcome was AKI and secondary outcomes were acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and sepsis. Results: Of 448 children included, median (interquartile range) age was 7 (2–15) years, 55% were male, and LTH etiology was 46% trauma, 34% operative, and 20% medical. Three hundred and ninety‐three patients did not receive an antifibrinolytic (88%); 37 (8%) received TXA and 18 (4%) received EACA. Sixty‐seven (17.1%) patients in the no antifibrinolytic group developed AKI, 6 (16.2%) patients in the TXA group, and 9 (50%) patients in the EACA group (p =.002). After adjusting for cardiothoracic surgery, cyanotic heart disease, preexisting renal disease, lowest hemoglobin pre‐LTH, and total weight‐adjusted transfusion volume during the LTH, the EACA group had increased risk of AKI (adjusted odds ratio 3.3 [95% CI: 1.0–10.3]) compared to no antifibrinolytic. TXA was not associated with AKI. Neither antifibrinolytic treatment was associated with ARDS or sepsis. Conclusion: Administration of EACA during LTH may increase the risk of AKI. Additional studies are needed to compare the risk of AKI between EACA and TXA in pediatric patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypofibrinogenemia is an important risk factor for poor outcomes in children with severe bleeding. There is a paucity of data on the impact of cryoprecipitate transfusion on outcomes in pediatric patients with life‐threatening hemorrhage (LTH). Study Design and Methods: This secondary analysis of a multicenter prospective observational study of children with LTH investigated subjects who were categorized by receipt of cryoprecipitate during their resuscitation and according to the etiology of their bleeding: trauma, operative, and medical. Bivariate analysis was performed to identify variables associated with 6‐h, 24‐h, and 28‐day mortality. Cox Hazard regression models were generated to adjust for potential confounders. Results: Cryoprecipitate was transfused to 33.9% (152/449) of children during LTH. The median (Interquartile range) time to cryoprecipitate administration was 108 (47–212) minutes. Children in the cryoprecipitate group were younger, more often female, with higher BMI and pre‐LTH PRISM score and lower platelet counts. After adjusting for PRISM score, bleeding etiology, age, sex, RBC volume, platelet volume, antifibrinolytic use and cardiac arrest, cryoprecipitate administration was independently associated with lower 6‐h mortality, Hazard Ratio (95% CI), 0.41 (0.19–0.89), (p = 0.02) and 24‐h mortality, Hazard Ratio (95% CI), 0.46 (0.24–0.89), (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Cryoprecipitate transfusion to children with LTH was associated with reduced early mortality. A prospective randomized trial is needed to determine if cryoprecipitate can improve outcomes in children with LTH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low-titer Group O Whole Blood (LTOWB) is used with increasing frequency in adult and pediatric trauma and massive bleeding transfusion protocols. There is a risk of acute hemolytic reactions in non-group O recipients due to the passive transfusion of anti-A and anti-B in the LTOWB. This study investigated the hemolysis risk among pediatric recipients of LTOWB.Study Design and Methods: Blood bank records were queried for pediatric recipients of LTOWB between June 2016 and August 2020 and merged with clinical data. The primary outcome was laboratory evidence of hemolysis as manifested by changes in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), haptoglobin, total bilirubin, reticulocyte count, potassium, and creatinine. Per protocol, these values were collected on hospital days 0-2 for recipients of LTOWB. Transfusion reactions were reported to the hospital's blood bank.Results: Forty-seven children received LTOWB transfusion between 2016 and 2020; 21 were group O and 26 were non-group O. The groups were comparable in terms of the total volume of transfused blood products, demographics, and clinical outcomes. The most common indication for LTOWB transfusion was hemorrhagic shock due to trauma. There were no clinically or statistically significant differences in baseline, post-transfusion day 1, or post-transfusion day 2 hemolysis markers between the group O and non-group O LTOWB recipients. There were no adverse events or transfusion reactions reported.Discussion: Use of up to 40 ml/kg of LTOWB appears to be serologically safe for children in hemorrhagic shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]