Transfusing thrombocytes to patients taking anti-platelet therapy who develop an intracerebral hemorrhage seems to confer harm, according to the authors of the PATCH trial (abstract).

Published recently in the Lancet by Baharoglu et al, this multicentre RCT included 190 patients in order to determine whether platelet transfusion reduces extent of haemorrhage, thereby improving outcome, in ICH associated with anti-platelet agents.

“The odds of death or dependence at 3 months were higher in the platelet transfusion group than in the standard care group (adjusted common odds ratio 2·05, 95% CI 1·18–3·56; p=0·0114). 40 (42%) participants who received platelet transfusion had a serious adverse event during their hospital stay, as did 28 (29%) who received standard care. 23 (24%) participants assigned to platelet transfusion and 16 (17%) assigned to standard care died during hospital stay”