In elective and inpatient settings with patient blood management, matched studies and meta-analyses find Witnesses' short-term mortality similar to that of patients who accept transfusion (cardiac surgery: 2.6% v 3.6%, not significant, 2016; pooled odds ratio 1.13, 95% CI 0.74-1.73, 2023). One Johns Hopkins cohort reported lower unadjusted mortality (0.7% v 2.7%), but after risk adjustment bloodless care was not an independent predictor of death or morbidity. The 2016 meta-analysis authors caution that 'the suboptimal quality of available studies prevents conclusive results'. None of these studies includes uncontrolled haemorrhage.
Claim ID claim-blood-medical-bloodless-outcomesConcerns 2023Independent finding
In elective and inpatient settings with patient blood management, matched studies and meta-analyses find Witnesses' short-term mortality similar to that of patients who accept transfusion (cardiac surgery: 2.6% v 3.6%, not significant, 2016; pooled odds ratio 1.13, 95% CI 0.74-1.73, 2023). One Johns Hopkins cohort reported lower unadjusted mortality (0.7% v 2.7%), but after risk adjustment bloodless care was not an independent predictor of death or morbidity. The 2016 meta-analysis authors caution that 'the suboptimal quality of available studies prevents conclusive results'. None of these studies includes uncontrolled haemorrhage. Source: Transfusion, 2014Source: Transfusion, 2016Source: Current Problems in Cardiology, 2023
The organisation’s position or later explanation: The organisation cites bloodless-medicine outcomes in its FAQ.
2014 · pp.54(10 Pt 2):2668-2677 · Frank SM, Wick EC, Dezern AE, Ness PM, Wasey JO, Pippa AC, Dackiw E, Resar LM · AABB / Wiley
“Overall, mortality was lower in the bloodless group (0.7%) than in the control group (2.7%; p = 0.046), primarily attributed to the surgical subgroup.”
Propensity-matched retrospective case-control (294 bloodless v 1,157 control) at Johns Hopkins; after risk adjustment bloodless care 'was not an independent predictor of the composite adverse outcome'. PMID 24942198.
Provenance and verification note for Transfusion, Outcome of Jehovah's Witnesses after adult cardiac surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies
Provenance and verification note for Current Problems in Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery in Jehovah's Witnesses Patients and Association With Peri-Operative Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
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