Trial Outcomes & Findings for Red Cell Storage Duration Study (NCT NCT00991341)

RECESS recruitment took place at 33 US hospitals, beginning in January 2010 and ending in January 2014.

Randomization was stratified by age (≥18 yrs or \<18 yrs) and by whether or not the subject was in the ICU prior to surgery. A subject could not be randomized unless prior to surgery but no earlier than one calendar day prior to surgery, the transfusion service had enough suitable units of both storage durations to satisfy the cross-match request.

Red Cell Storage Duration Study

The follow-up MODS used to calculate 7-day ΔMODS from pre-op baseline was based on the worst value of each component of MODS observed through post-op day 7, hospital discharge, or death, whichever occurred first, even if a subject's worst values for different components occurred on different dates. Subjects who died during this time period were assigned the worst possible follow-up MODS score, 24 points, and each component of MODS was set at 4, which is the worst score. If a subject did not die during this time period but had at least one day where the Glasgow Coma Score couldn't be scored \[subject sedated; neurologic function not normal by pre-op history (prior stroke, tumor or trauma sequelae, cognitively challenged, behavioral disorder, etc.) or intra-op history, but currently unable to assess because of sedation\], then a post-op MODS score was set to missing and a 7-day ΔMODS was not computed. The total MODS score ranges from 0 (best possible) to 24 points (worst possible).

Subjects were randomized for RECESS no earlier than one calendar day before the planned date of surgery, and were followed for all-cause mortality until post-operative Day 28, death, or study withdrawal, whichever occurred first. In some cases the surgery was postponed after randomization had already occurred. If surgery did not occur within 30 days after randomization, the subject ended the study and was not considered evaluable. If surgery did occur within 30 days after randomization, and the subject received at least one RBC transfusion between randomization and 96 hours after the end of surgery, the subject was considered evaluable. Therefore, in a few evaluable subjects, post-operative Day 28 could be nearly two months after the date of randomization. The times in the time-to-event analysis started at randomization.

The follow-up MODS used to calculate 28-day ΔMODS from pre-op baseline was based on the worst value of each component of MODS observed through post-op day 28, hospital discharge, or death, whichever occurred first, even if a subject's worst values for different components occurred on different dates. Subjects who died during this time period were assigned the worst possible follow-up MODS score, 24 points, and each component of MODS was set at 4, which is the worst score. If a subject did not die during this time period but had at least one day where the Glasgow Coma Score couldn't be scored\[subject sedated; neurologic function not normal by pre-op history (prior stroke, tumor or trauma sequelae, cognitively challenged, behavioral disorder, etc.) or intra-op history, but currently unable to assess because of sedation\], then a post-op MODS score was set to missing and a 28-day ΔMODS was not computed. The total MODS score ranges from 0 (best possible) to 24 points (worst possible).

Because some subjects may experience multiple periods of ventilator use, the total duration that they were on a ventilator was compared between the two groups.

The arterial lactate levels were adjusted to make them comparable to venous lactate levels.

Subjects were randomized for RECESS no earlier than one calendar day before the planned date of surgery, and were followed until post-operative Day 28, death, or study withdrawal, whichever occurred first. In some cases the surgery was postponed after randomization had already occurred. If surgery did not occur within 30 days after randomization, the subject ended the study and was not considered evaluable. If surgery did occur within 30 days after randomization, and the subject received at least one RBC transfusion between randomization and 96 hours after the end of surgery, the subject was considered evaluable. Therefore, in a few evaluable subjects, post-operative Day 28 could be nearly two months after the date of randomization. The times in the time-to-event analyses are from randomization to first post-operative bowel movement.

Subjects were randomized for RECESS no earlier than one calendar day before the planned date of surgery, and were followed until post-operative Day 28, death, or study withdrawal, whichever occurred first. In some cases the surgery was postponed after randomization had already occurred. If surgery did not occur within 30 days after randomization, the subject ended the study and was not considered evaluable. If surgery did occur within 30 days after randomization, and the subject received at least one RBC transfusion between randomization and 96 hours after the end of surgery, the subject was considered evaluable. Therefore, in a few evaluable subjects, post-operative Day 28 could be nearly two months after the date of randomization. The times in the time-to-event analyses are from randomization to first post-operative solid food.