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Packed Red Cell Transfusion — RACP Adult Medicine MCQ

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EasyHaematologyPacked Red Cell TransfusionRACP Adult Medicine

A 70-year-old woman with GI bleeding has Hb 62 g/L. She is haemodynamically stable after fluid resuscitation. She has no cardiac history. Crossmatch shows she is group O Rh-positive. What is the most appropriate transfusion product?

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Correct answer: D — Group-specific (O Rh-positive) packed red cells

Haemodynamically stable GI bleeding with Hb <70 g/L (or <80 g/L if CVD) warrants red cell transfusion. Group-specific crossmatched packed red cells are the standard product. Group O Rh-negative is reserved for emergencies when crossmatch is unavailable. Restrictive transfusion strategy (trigger 70 g/L) is associated with better outcomes than liberal (trigger 100 g/L) per the TRICC and FOCUS trials.

Reference: Australian Red Cross Lifeblood – 2024 – Blood Component Guidelines; NBA