[Survival after blood transfusion: a study at Rouen university hospital]

[Application of pre- and post-transfusion virological controls prior to the suppression of their recommendation]

In 1996, due to a residual risk of transfusion-transmitted virus, a circular of the French Health Authorities (DGS/DH n degrees 96-609) recommended proposing to recipients of cellular blood products a test for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and for antibodies to hepatitis C virus, before and three months after transfusion. We have evaluated the application of this recommendation throughout the whole transfused population of a French Hospital over a three month period. In addition, this study allowed us to establish the vaccination status against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in this exposed population including transfusion and nosocomial risks. The results showed a failure in the application of the 1996 circular and confirmed the validity of the abrogation of this circular by a recent circular (11 January 2006) of the French health authorities. It also showed that only a minority of patients needing a vaccination against HBV were afforded such treatment during their hospitalization.

[Efficiency of hepatitis C virus screening before and after blood transfusion]

Efficiency of a viral hepatitis C screening strategy before and after blood transfusion has to be evaluated.

METHODS

Four screening strategies were virtually applied to the population of transfused patients at Rouen University Hospital during 1996 and then compared : the first without any systematic HCV screening test; the second with systematic testing both before and 3 months after transfusion; the third with systematic testing both before and 6 months after transfusion ; the last defined as systematic testing before transfusion only. The efficacy (i.e. number of positive tests), the efficiency (i.e. average cost per positive test) and the marginal costs of moving from a strategy to another one were assessed using decision analysis.

RESULTS

The efficacy of systematic screening test before transfusion only (361 per positive test), systematic testing both before and three months after (523 per positive test) or six months after (488 per positive test) transfusion was similar, but the efficacy of the strategy without any systematic screening test (385 per positive test) was lower. The systematization of screening test both before, and three months, or 6 months after transfusion lead to a marginal cost of 619 , and 559 per positive test respectively. The systematization of testing before transfusion only lead to a marginal cost of 343 per positive test. Adding systematic testing after transfusion lead to a marginal cost of 5824 per positive test.

CONCLUSION

Systematic screening tests before transfusion only can be considered as the most efficient strategy.