Small volume vacuum phlebotomy tubes: a controlled beforeand-after study of a patient blood management initiative in an Australian adult intensive care unit

Background: Patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) undergo multiple blood tests. Small volume vacuum phlebotomy tubes (SVTs) provide an important blood conservation measure. SVTs reduce summative blood loss and may reduce odds of transfusion. We aimed to determine whether low volume blood sampling using SVTs for routine diagnostic purposes translates to decreased fall in haemoglobin concentration, and examine downstream effects on anaemia and need for transfusion during ICU admission.