ABO Blood Group and Transfusions In the Intraoperative and Postoperative Period after LVAD Implantation: Running Head: ABO blood group and transfusions in LVADs

ABSTRACT Objectives Assessing whether blood group O patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) insertion have higher perioperative transfusion requirements, postoperative chest tube output, and postoperative change in hematocrit. Design Retrospective review of 116 LVAD patients from August 2015—May 2018. Setting Single-institution, urban academic medical center. Participants 116 LVAD patients analyzed by blood group: group O (n=49) vs. non-O (n=67). Interventions/Comparisons Transfusions in the combined intraoperative and postoperative period up to 7 days and 90 days after LVAD implantation, chest tube output in the first 24h and hematocrit change in the first 48h postoperatively. Results There was no difference between group O and non-O within the univariable analysis for both 7-day and 90-day transfusion rates. Adjusting for covariables, blood type O was not associated with PRBC transfusion after accounting for multiple comparisons (odds ratio 1.33 [1.07 – 1.66], p=0.01, where p Conclusion O blood group is not a significant predictor of transfusions in the combined intraoperative and postoperative period up to 90 days after LVAD implantation.