Table 1

Baseline characteristics of the included studies

First author, yearCountryData collectionPatient characteristicsPatient noHR mean±SD (PH/AD)Mortality n, (%)
Bohonek 201929Czech RepublicRetrospectiveReceived blood products4694.8±59.0 (AD)10 (21.7)
Boudreau 201930USARetrospectiveReceived blood products116101.3±43.0 (PH)27 (23.3)
Duchesne 201931USARetrospectiveHaemodynamic instability279120.6±27.7 (AD)89 (32.0)
Montazer 201932IranprospectiveHaemodynamic instability400110.0±14.0 (AD)67 (16.7)
Priestley 201933USARetrospectiveReceived blood products283104.0±24.0 (PH)88 (31.1)
Barmparas 201834USARetrospectiveReceived blood products120101.1±39.7 (AD)59 (49.2)
Chaochankit 201835ThailandRetrospectiveReceived blood products15113.0±22.1 (AD)12 (80.0)
Moore 201836USAProspectiveHaemodynamic instability125110.0±15.9 (PH)16 (12.8)
Ng 201837CanadaRetrospectiveHaemodynamic instability117112.0±35.0 (AD)22 (19.0)
Guo 201738ChinaProspectiveHaemodynamic instability428111.3±17.9 (AD)104 (23.4)
Heidari 201739IranProspectiveBlunt abdominal trauma with positive FAST168105.3±23.4 (AD)57 (33.9)
Luehr 201740USARetrospectiveReceived blood products115133.3±21.4 (PH)20 (17.4)
Naumann 201741UKRetrospectiveReceived blood products17108.0±16.2 (AD)3 (17.6)
Savage 201742USARetrospectiveReceived blood products330108.2±55.3 (AD)82 (24.8)
Day 201643USARetrospectiveReceived blood products11698.0±24.0 (PH)13 (11.0)
Ordoñez 201644ColombiaRetrospectiveHaemodynamic instability171112.6±23.5 (AD)26 (15.2)
Shah 201545PakistanRetrospectiveIsolated abdominal gunshot wound7099.8±30.3 (AD)11 (15.7)
Thurston 201546South AfricaProspectiveHaemodynamic instability50123.3±13.1 (AD)11 (22.0)
Sisak 201347AustraliaProspectiveReceived blood products91100.0±30.1 (AD)13 (14.0)

  • The majority of the papers enrolled patients who had a trauma who received blood products (italics) and/or showed signs of haemodynamic instability. Haemodynamic instability was defined by vital parameters in most cases. most of the data was collected retrospectively. The number of participants in each dataset ranged from 15 to 428. There was a significant heterogeneity in mortality between datasets. The need for massive transfusion was accompanied by a prominently high mortality rate. A mean HR >120 bpm did not entail an outstanding mortality rate.

  • AD, on admission; FAST, focused assessment with sonography for trauma; HR, heart rate; PH, prehospital.