The Transfused Population of Canterbury, New Zealand, and Its Mortality

. All 367 recipients and 1,385 donations transfused over a 40-day period were traced and compared by sex, age and discharge diagnosis with the 5,955 concurrent discharges from all general and obstetric hospitals in the area. 6% of discharged patients had been transfused. 21% of transfused patients were dead within 1 year, and at least 30% will die within 5 years. 228 donations of platelet concentrates were required for 7 recipients, 6 of whom died within 2 years. The mortality of blood recipients is overestimated if tracked from donors of multiple components.