High FFP-to-RBC Ratio May Improve Survival in Blunt Trauma Patients

A higher fresh frozen plasma (FFP) to red blood cell (RBC) ratio was associated with favorable survival in patients with severe blunt trauma, according to research published last week in JAMA Surgery.

Current trauma care protocols advocate early administration of FFP in a ratio close to 1:1 with RBCs to manage trauma-induced coagulopathy in patients with severe blunt trauma. In this trial, investigators from Kyoto University analyzed data from the Japan Trauma Data Bank to assess whether a higher FFP to RBC ratio could yield better outcomes.

The multicenter study included 1,954 patients who were categorized into two groups based on the ratio of FFP to RBC: high-FFP group (ratio greater than 1) and the low-FFP group (ratio less than or equal to 1). Results indicated an association between the group with a high-FFP ratio and lower in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.56-0.93) compared with a low-FFP ratio.

According to investigators, the results highlight the importance of revising the current transfusion protocols to incorporate a high FFP to RBC ratio, though further research is necessary to determine the optimal balance for patient treatment.