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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A more precise blood-clotting test is changing how doctors manage transfusions in cirrhosis patients. A clinical trial found that using rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) to guide transfusion decisions slashed unnecessary blood product use compared to standard care — with no increase in bleeding, clotting complications, or deaths. It's a meaningful step toward safer, more targeted care for a complex patient population.
For patients with cirrhosis undergoing invasive procedures, getting a blood transfusion "just in case" has long been standard practice — but a new clinical trial suggests that approach may be doing more than necessary. The study, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, found that using rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) — a real-time whole-blood clotting test — to guide transfusion decisions dramatically reduced unnecessary blood product use without raising the risk of bleeding, thrombosis, or death.
The trial, conducted across six Australian liver centers, randomized 57 procedures in cirrhosis patients with abnormal clotting markers. Those in the ROTEM group received far fewer prophylactic transfusions than those receiving standard care, with nearly a third of ROTEM patients needing no blood products at all.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Cirrhosis patients often have abnormal lab values that don't actually reflect true bleeding risk — leading to over-transfusion. ROTEM offers a more accurate, real-time picture of clotting, helping clinicians avoid unnecessary interventions while keeping patients safe.
