EASTR

Epidemiology and survival of transfusion recipients

Understanding more about people who receive blood transfusions

What was this study about?

EASTR is an epidemiological study, which has collected information on around 16,000 people who received a blood transfusion. It aims to find out about:

  • The age and sex profile of people who receive a blood transfusion
  • The procedures for which they received a blood transfusion, and their diagnosis
  • Their survival over a 10 year period.


This study is being run in partnership with the National Blood Service (part of NHS Blood and Transplant, an NHS organisation). An earlier pilot study was carried out to help researchers to work out how to select the hospitals and the patients to take part in this study, to ensure that the sample is representative of all people who receive a blood transfusion in the UK.

What difference did this study make?

Initial information has been collected and published.

Type of study

Observational study

Contact details

mrcctu.ctuenquiries@ucl.ac.uk

Who funded the study?

The National Blood Service.

When did it take place?

Initial information was collected between October 2001 and September 2002.

Where did it take place?

People were treated in 29 hospitals across the UK.

Who was included?

This study has collected information about: 9142 people who received a transfusion of red blood cells 3548 people who received a transfusion of platelets 4232 people who received a donation of fresh frozen plasma.

These people have been 'flagged' on the NHS Strategic Tracing Service, so that researchers can identify how many people die over a 10 year period.