Despite conflicting data regarding its effectiveness, many massive transfusion protocols (MTPs) include
recombinant Factor VIIa (
rFVIIa) as an adjunct to
hemorrhage control. Over a 3-year period, outcome data for massively transfused patients was compared based on administration of
rFVIIa as part of a mature MTP. Of 228 MTP activations, 117 patients were candidates for
rFVIIa, and, of these, 39 patients received
rFVIIa under the MTP. Comparing patients who received
rFVIIa with those who did not based on initial packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion requirements, there was no difference in mortality for transfusions ≤ 20 units (25 vs 24%, 24-hour; 25 vs 42%, 30-day) or 21 to 30 units (33 vs 47%, 24-hour; 55 vs 50%, 30-day). For initial requirement ≥ 30 units of PRBCs, 24-hour mortality (26 vs 64%, P = 0.02) was significantly decreased in patients that received
rFVIIa (n = 19) compared with those who did not (n = 17). These mortality differences were not maintained at 30 days (68 vs 71%).
rFVIIa had minimal clinical impact on outcomes for patients requiring less than 30 units of PRBCs. For patients transfused more than 30 units of PRBCs, differences in 24-hour and 30-day mortality suggest that
rFVIIa converted early deaths from
exsanguination to late deaths from multiorgan failure.