Transfusion Support of Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Even as additional treatment modalities are discovered and implemented for patients with MDS, transfusion will likely remain an integral aspect of supportive care for this patient population. We eagerly await future studies that will help to define a more evidence-based way to provide RBC and platelet transfusion support to patients with MDS. In the interim, transfusions will need to be optimized to balance the benefits of transfusion with the negative effects, such as iron overload and alloimmunization.

Automated summary

Even with the discovery of new treatment modalities, transfusion remains an important aspect of supportive care for patients with MDS. Future studies are awaited to provide an evidence-based approach to RBC and platelet transfusion support for MDS patients, while balancing the benefits and negative effects of transfusion.