A Survey of Blood Collection and Transfusion in Korea, 1998

Kim, Hyun Ok; Choi, Kyung Hwan; Kim, Jin Ju; Kim, Dong Jin; Han, Young Ja

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The Korean Red Cross (KRC) supplies above 98% of blood components used in Korea. The KRC reports the blood collection data annually, but the transfusion data at hospital were not included in this report. The blood supply and utilization data in 1988 were surveyed to produce basic statistics of blood collection at the blood centers and transfusion at hospitals.
METHODS
Transfusion data were collected from two hundred and nine hospitals, which belong to the Korean Hospital Association. We received the answers of completed survey questionnaires about blood bank activities in hospital transfusion services. The blood collection data were cited from the KRC annual report.
RESULTS
Among 93,486 beds in total hospital, 32%, 10% and 7% of the beds are located in Seoul, Pusan and Taegu, respectively. The usage of red blood cells showed a good correlation with the hospital bed numbers. However, most of the FFP and platelet concentrates were used in Seoul, Pusan, and Kyunggido. The average number of RBCs transfused per bed was 13.1 units, FFP 6.4 units, and platelet concentrate 8.5 units. The average usage of blood components increased in proportion with the bed number increases. The numbers of RBCs transfused showed a good correlation with those of FFP and platelet, respectively (RBC vs. FFP r=0.68, RBC vs. platelet concentrate r=0.72). The upper top ten ranked hospitals in usage of blood components were mostly university hospitals. Forty five percent of total whole bloods, 22% of packed RBC, 37% of FFP, and 43% of platelet concentrates were used in these top ten ranked hospitals.
CONCLUSION
The averages of blood component transfusion units and the loss of blood from collection to transfusion for the patients were higher than those of other developed countries. Finally, for further effective blood usage, we should analyze the blood component transfused in hospital annually, and the supply of blood components by KRC should be controlled according to the demands of transfusion in hospitals.