New oxygen test could cut unnecessary blood transfusions after heart surgery

NCT ID NCT02761564

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tested whether measuring oxygen levels in the blood (ScvO2) can help doctors decide when to give blood transfusions to anemic patients after heart surgery. 100 patients were randomly assigned to receive transfusions based on standard guidelines or only if their ScvO2 was low. The goal was to see if this approach reduces the number of transfusions without harming patients.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Red blood cell transfusion guided by ScvO2 measurement
What this could lead to
If successful, this approach could help doctors decide when to give blood transfusions after heart surgery, potentially reducing the number of transfusions and their risks.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early study with only 100 patients, so results may not apply to everyone. The ScvO2-guided strategy might not reduce transfusions or could miss patients who need blood.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for ANEMIA (<9G/DL) REQUIRING BLOOD TRANSFUSION are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • UHMontpellier

    Montpellier, Montpellier, France