Pulmonary capillary 'wedge' pressure (PCWP) was studied in 20 cases of chronic severe anemia before and after transfusing one unit of blood. They were divided into 2 groups of 10 age and sex matched cases. Blood was transfused at a speed of 2 ml/min in group A and 5 ml/min in group B. Pretransfusion PCWP was normal in all the cases. Following blood transfusion (BT) 'wedge' pressure increased significantly (p < 0.001) in both the groups being 17.2% and 29.2% in group A and B respectively. The difference in the rise of PCWP between the two groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). All the cases tolerated BT very well.
It is therefore, concluded that transfusion of one unit of blood at a speed of 5 ml/min is nearly as safe as when it is transfused at a rate of 2 ml/min (conven tional speed) so far as the cardiopulmonary haemodynamics are concerned.
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