José Antonio García-Erce

Banco de Sangre y Tejidos de Navarra, España · Servicio Navarro de Salud-Osasunbidea

A multidisciplinary panel of physicians was convened by Network for Advancement of Transfusion Alternatives to review the evidence on the efficacy and safety of i.v. iron administration to increase haemoglobin levels and reduce blood transfusion in patients undergoing surgery, and to develop a consensus statement on perioperative use of i.v. iron a...

Background: Transfusion of blood components continues to be an important therapeutic resource into the 21(st) century. Between 5 and 58% of transfusions carried out are estimated to be unnecessary. According to several studies, at least 20% of packed red blood cell transfusions (RBCT) are administered in hospital emergency departments (ED), but fe...

Introduction There are gaps in our knowledge of the normative levels of haemoglobin and the prevalence of anaemia in our geographical area, and in certain population subgroups. Objectives To study the mean values of haemoglobin in a mountainous Spanish region, according to sex, age range and residence altitude, and the prediction of anaemia accord...

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion has long been the cornerstone of treatment for anemia due to GI bleeding. However, blood is not devoid of potential adverse effects, and it is also a precious resource, with limited supplies in blood banks. Nowadays, all patients...

Background Preoperative anaemia is associated with poor outcomes in surgical patients, but the preoperative haemoglobin cut‐off that determines lower morbidity in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) is not well established. Methods Planned secondary analysis of data collected during a multicentre cohort study of patients...

Background and Objectives The efficacy of COVID‐19 convalescent plasma (CP) associates with high titres of antibodies. ConPlas‐19 clinical trial showed that CP reduces the risk of progression to severe COVID‐19 at 28 days. Here, we aim to study ConPlas‐19 donors and characteristics that associate with high anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibody levels. Material...

Background Hemovigilance (HV) is usually based on voluntary reports (passive HV). Our aim is to ascertain credible incidence, severity, and mortality of transfusion‐associated adverse events (TAAEs) using an active HV program. Study Design and Methods Prospective cohort study to estimate transfusion risk after 46,488 transfusions in 5830 patients,...

Background The efficacy of routine admission of high-risk patients to a critical care unit after surgery is not clear. The aim of our study was to investigate the association between critical care admission after scheduled colorectal surgery and postoperative complications, 30-day mortality, and length of stay in hospital.MethodsA pre-defined secon...

LINKED CONTENT This article is linked to Leache et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17344 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17531

Introduction: The effectiveness of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols in gastric cancer surgery remains controversial. Methods: Multicentre prospective cohort study of adult patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer. Adherence with 22 individual components of ERAS pathways were assessed in all patients, regardless of wheth...

Introduction: Major trauma is one of the major health care problems facing modern society, trauma systems require careful planning to achieve an ideal level of coverage for the population. The Patient Blood Management Program is an integrated and global strategy to provide patient care that aims to assess and address, when possible, the etiology o...

Background and objectives: There is a concern about a possible deleterious effect of pathogen reduction (PR) with methylene blue (MB) on the function of immunoglobulins of COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP). We have evaluated whether MB-treated CCP is associated with a poorer clinical response compared to other inactivation systems at the ConPlas-...

Introduction Albumin is used in multiple situations in patients with cirrhosis, but the evidence of its benefit is not always clear. The aim was to synthesise the evidence on the efficacy and safety of albumin compared to other treatments or no active intervention in cirrhotic patients. Materials and Methods We conducted a systematic review includ...

Critically ill polytrauma patients with hemorrhage require a rapid assessment to initiate hemostatic resuscitation in the shortest possible time with the activation of a massive transfusion or a critical hemorrhage management protocol. The hospital reality experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic in all countries was critical, as it was in Spain; a...

Background and objectives: It is reported that ABO antibodies have a role in COVID-19 infection and severity; however, ABO antibody titres vary with advanced age. The aim was to analyse the association between ABO blood group and risk of COVID-19 infection and complications in elderly patients, and to contrast this data with findings in the overal...

Severe traumatic injury is one of the main global health issues which annually causes more than 5.8 million worldwide deaths. Uncontrolled haemorrhage is the main avoidable cause of death among severely injured individuals. Management of trauma patients is the greatest challenge in trauma emergency care, and its proper diagnosis and early managemen...

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in December 2019, a relationship between the ABO blood group type and the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19, has been reported, noting that individuals with the O blood group are the least likely to be infected. Spain is one of the most badly affected countries worldwide, wi...

Study objective: Assess the relationship between the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) pathway and routine care and 30-day postoperative outcomes. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: European centers (185 hospitals) across 21 countries. Patients: A total of 2841 adult patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. Each hospital ha...

Purpose The effectiveness of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways in patients undergoing bariatric surgery remains unclear. Our objective was to determine the effect of the ERAS elements on patient outcomes following elective bariatric surgery. Materials and Methods Prospective cohort study in adult patients undergoing elective bariatri...

Background and importance Iron deficiency anaemia is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency, affecting 29% of women. It is common in patients undergoing elective gynaecological surgeries (18.1%) and up to 90% postsurgery, increasing the risk of negative outcomes and need for transfusions. Oral iron, especially ferrous sulphate (FS), is used as t...

Background The objective of the FeminFER project was to assess the value of ferric carboxymaltose following a multicriteria decision analysis in obstetrics and gynaecology in Spain. Methods Ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) and ferrous sulphate were evaluated using the EVIDEM framework. Ten stakeholders participated to collect different perspectives. Th...

Anemia is common in critically ill patients; almost 95% of patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) have hemoglobin levels below normal. Several causes may explain this phenomenon as well as the tendency to transfuse patients without adequate cause: due to a lack of adherence to protocols, lack of supervision, incomplete transfusion request...

Introduction Gestational anaemia, which has specific haemoglobin (Hb) reference values in each trimester of gestation, increases the risk of maternal mortality and complications both in pregnancy and in the first months of the newborn’s life. The objective of this study is to evaluate haemoglobin levels in pregnant women in our population, to deter...

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ABO blood group has been described as a possible biological marker of susceptibility for the disease. This study evaluates the role of ABO group on the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and related complications in a population-based cohort including 87,090 subjects from the Navarre population (Northern...

Despite the effectiveness of plasma exchange (PEX) and immunosuppressants in the treatment of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP), a number of patients still die as a result of the disease. Whether caplacizumab could rescue these patients remains still unsettled. The objective of this study was to characterise mortality patterns and...

Background: No consensus exists regarding the hemoglobin (Hb) values that define postpartum anemia. Knowledge is currently lacking regarding prescription and consumption practices, which prevents evaluating the rational use of iron supplementation postpartum. Aim: In this study, our objective was to describe this practice and analyze its associa...

Introduction Adherence to Enhanced Recovery Protocols (ERPs) is associated with faster functional recovery, better patient satisfaction, lower complication rates and reduced length of hospital stay. Understanding institutional barriers and facilitators is essential for improving adherence to ERPs. The purpose of this study was to identify instituti...

Several studies have identified a possible association between ABO blood group and COVID‐19. However, studies are of variable quality and results are inconsistent. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the evidence on the association between ABO and the risk of COVID‐19 infection and prognosis. Searches were conducted in PubMed, MedRx...

Introduction anemia and iron deficiency predispose to an increased risk of transfusion with a consequent increase in morbidity and mortality. The study analyzes whether blood cell count parameters in addition to detecting anemia can predict iron deficiency and/or transfusional risk in patients undergoing mostly to scheduled primary hip and knee art...

Background: Recent clinical guidelines suggest that treatment of postoperative anaemia in colorectal cancer surgery with intravenous iron reduces transfusion requirements and improves outcomes. The study aimed at comparing two intravenous iron regimens in anaemic patients after colorectal cancer surgery. Materials and methods: This was a single-...

Iron is an essential nutrient to life and is required for erythropoiesis, oxidative, metabolism, and enzymatic activities. It is a cofactor for mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes, the citric acid cycle, and DNA synthesis, and it promotes the growth of immune system cells. Thus, iron deficiency (ID) leads to deleterious effects on the overall h...

Anemia and iron deficiency predispose to an increased risk of transfusion with a consequent increase in morbidity and mortality. The study analyzes whether blood cell count parameters in addition to detecting anemia can predict iron deficiency and/or transfusional risk in patients undergoing mostly to scheduled primary hip and knee arthroplasty. Ob...

This "Letter to the Editor" was sent as a comment of the study by Boone and Collegues ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2020.05.006 ) on transfusion behaviour and iron supplementation in patients with heavy menstrual bleeding admitted to ED at their hospital.

Resumen Introducción La anemia gestacional, que tiene unos valores de referencia de hemoglobina específicos en cada trimestre de gestación, aumenta el riesgo de mortalidad materna y de complicaciones fetales y neonatales. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar los niveles de hemoglobina en las gestantes de nuestra población y conocer la prevalenci...

Worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decline in blood donations, between 30% and 70% in some of the most affected countries. In Spain, during the initial eight weeks after the State of Emergency was decreed on 14 March 2020, in the weekly reports of the Health Ministry, an average decrease of 20% was observed between 11 and week 25 compare...

Patients with haematological malignancies are considered to be a risk group for developing severe Coronavirus disease (Covid-19). Because of the limitations of therapeutic options, the development of new treatment strategies is mandatory, such as convalescent plasma (CP). Herein we report the use of CP therapy as an off-label indication in two lymp...

Our aim is to evaluate the evolution of Hemoglobin (Hb) and iron parameters in COVID-19 patients to optimize the therapeutic management of anemia in these patients. Hb, s-Ferritin, transferrin saturation (TSAT), Haptoglobin, and inflammation markers were recorded. Correlation between parameters was studied using Pearson´s test. Comparison between d...

Background and objectives The “Patient Blood Management” (PBM) programmes have demonstrated their value in the continuous improvement of care practice, due to continuous systematic reviewing of results and their dynamic and multidisciplinary updating in accordance with new clinical evidence. Our goal is to demonstrate the effectiveness of simple pr...

Background SARS-CoV-2 infection is clinically very heterogeneous, varying from asymptomatic to severe clinical conditions with a fatal outcome. Some studies suggests that the ABO blood group could be a biological marker of susceptibility for the development of the disease. Material and methods We collected data from patients admitted with COVID-19...

Introduction The evidence currently available from enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programmes concerns their benefits in the immediate postoperative period, but there is still very little evidence as to whether their correct implementation benefits patients in the long term. The working hypothesis here is that, due to the lower response to s...

Introduction: bariatric surgery involves nutritional and trace element deficiencies that may have a negative impact if not treated properly, especially in situations such as pregnancy. Case report: a patient who underwent biliopancreatic diversion surgery without subsequent therapeutic adherence consults due to edema; findings included 29-week g...

Resumen Introducción: La infección por SARS-CoV-2, presenta gran heterogeneidad clínica, desde asintomática hasta cuadros clínicos graves con un desenlace fatal. Algunos autores refieren el grupo sanguíneo ABO como posible marcador biológico de susceptibilidad para la enfermedad. Pacientes Y Métodos: Se han recogido los pacientes ingresados con inf...

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic severe iron deficiency anemia is a common finding in subjects admitted to the outpatient anemia clinic. Although the condition can be easily be reversed with intravenous iron (IVI) therapy and several guidelines have suggested a restrictive threshold for using transfusion in hemodynamically stable patients, transfusion is...

Background To transfuse packed red blood cells isogroup ABO D is a usual transfusion practice. However, when there is not enough D-negative blood available, we can transfuse positive red blood cells to negative patients. Immunocompetent D-negative individuals may develop serologically detectable anti-D antibodies within 3 months after exposure to D...

Background Implementation of Patient Blood Management programmes remain variable in Europe, and even in centres with well-established PBM programmes variability exists in transfusion practices. Objectives and methods We conducted a survey in order to assess current practice in perioperative Patient Blood Management in patients undergoing total hip...

Resumen Antecedentes y objetivos Los programas de Patient blood management (PBM) han demostrado su valor en la mejora continua de la práctica asistencial, gracias a la revisión sistemática de resultados y a su actualización dinámica y multidisciplinar, de acuerdo con las nuevas evidencias clínicas. Nuestro objetivo es demostrar la efectividad y se...

Background and objective Enhanced recovery pathways or ERAS have been applied in gastric cancer surgery extrapolated from colorectal surgery. The objective of the study is to assess postoperative complications 30 days after gastric surgery for cancer, with any level of compliance with the ERAS protocol. The secondary objectives are to assess 30-day...

Resumen Antecedentes La implementación de los programas Patient Blood Management (PBM) es variable en Europa, incluso en centros en los que estos programas están bien establecidos, donde existe variabilidad en cuanto a prácticas transfusionales. Objetivos y métodos Realizamos una encuesta para valorar la práctica actual sobre PBM perioperatoria e...

Importance The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) care protocol has been shown to improve outcomes compared with traditional care in certain types of surgery. Objective To assess the association of use of the ERAS protocols with complications in patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Desig...

IMPORTANCE The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) care protocol has been shown to improve outcomes compared with traditional care in certain types of surgery. OBJECTIVE To assess the association of use of the ERAS protocols with complications in patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). DESIGN,...

Increasing haemoglobin and haematocrit levels with blood transfusions has been the gold standard for treating severe anaemia; however, the indication for transfusing concentrated red blood cells is based merely on a few laboratory markers, such as haemoglobin and haematocrit levels, rather than based on the symptoms according to clinical practice g...

Therapeutic erythrocytapheresis (TE) is a more efficient strategy compared to phlebotomy to deplete levels of haematocrit in primary and secondary erythrocytosis. Objective To analyse response rate and safety profile of TE in polycythemia vera (PV) and secondary erythrocytosis (SE). Patients and method Retrospective review of all patients with PV...

Iron deficiency (ID) due to blood loss, absorption disorders and dietary deficiencies causes iron-deficiency anaemia, whose treatment seeks to eliminate the underlying cause and restore haemoglobin and iron deposits. Typically, the latter 2 of these objectives can be achieved through oral iron therapy. Intravenous iron administration (IIA) should b...

After publication of the original article [1], we were notified that the name of the software mentioned in the Background section is TAONET and not Tao Net.

Introduction: Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) is a rare, but life-threatening, hematological disorder characterized by severe thrombocytopenia, hemolytic microangiopathic anemia, and frequent organ damage. The underlying pathophysiology of aTTP is a functional deficiency of plasma ADAMTS13 activity caused by antibodies directed...

Increasing haemoglobin and haematocrit levels with blood transfusions has been the gold standard for treating severe anaemia; however, the indication for transfusing concentrated red blood cells is based merely on a few laboratory markers, such as haemoglobin and haematocrit levels, rather than based on the symptoms according to clinical practice g...