The impact of perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion on prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma after radical hepatectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

This meta-analysis aims to clarify the clinical impacts of allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) on hepatectomy outcome in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. A systematic literature search was performed for relevant articles in international and Chinese databases up to May 2018. Random- or fixed-effect meta-analysis was used to pool the effect estimates. Publication bias was assessed by Egger's and Peters's test. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I(2) statistic. The strength of evidence was rated by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. A total of 29 studies met the eligibility criteria. Meta-analysis showed HCC patients in ABT group had lower survival rate at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years after radical hepatectomy than those in no blood transfusion (NBT) group (RR = 0.9, 95%CI: 0.87–0.93, P < .05; RR = 0.83, 95%CI: 0.77–0.89, P < .05; RR = 0.7, 95%CI: 0.65–0.74, P < .05; RR = 0.64, 95%CI: 0.54–0.75, P < .05). Similar results were observed in disease-free survival (DFS) (respectively: RR = 0.86, 95%CI: 0.82–0.91, P < .05; RR = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.67–0.79, P < .05; RR = 0.71, 95%CI: 0.64–0.79, P < .05; RR = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.48-0.8, P < .05). Cancer recurrence rate was higher for the patients in ABT group at 1 and 3 years (RR = 1.5, 95%CI: 1–2.24, P < .05; RR = 1.27, 95%CI: 1.09–1.49, P < .05, respectively), but not statistically significant at 5years (RR = 1.08, 95%CI: 0.98–1.19, P = .512). The HCC patients in ABT group increased postoperative complications occurrence compared with those in NBT group (RR = 1.87, 95%CI: 1.42–2.45, P < .05). This meta-analysis demonstrated that ABT was associated with adverse clinical outcomes for HCC patients undergoing radical hepatectomy, including poor survival, DFS, and complications. Surgeons should reduce blood loss during hepatectomy and avoid perioperative allogenic blood transfusion.