In Reply: Red blood cell transfusion strategies and health care-associated infection

摘要

The clarification regarding comparative groups from Dr Gregersen and colleagues is appreciated. In their abstract, the HR was reported as 0.81 (95% CI, 0.58-1.14) and these figures were used in our meta-analysis. This was predicated on the assumption, based on conventional terminology, that the newer therapy (restrictive strategy) was placed in the numerator and the traditional or control therapy (liberal strategy) was placed in the denominator. This was an incorrect assumption. Dr Fujita is correct that the publication by Karam et al emanates from the TRIPICU trial, and this subgroup should not be pooled with the larger trial. In the publication of the FOCUS trial, there was no information given regarding 84 patients with postoperative pneumonia.