Jentzer JC, Lawler PR, Katz JN, et al. - By performing this retrospective single-center cohort study, researchers assessed the link between red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and death stratified by nadir Hgb concentration and admission diagnosis in cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) patients. This analysis involved 11,754 CICU patients admitted between 2007 and 2018. Experts employed multivariable logistic regression adjusted for the propensity to receive RBC transfusion, to determine the link between RBC transfusion and hospital death at each nadir Hgb (< 8 g/dL, 8-9.9 g/dL, ≥ 10 g/dL). Higher crude hospital mortality was observed in patients who received RBC transfusion. An association of RBC transfusion with lower adjusted hospital mortality was found in patients with nadir Hgb < 8 g/dL following propensity adjustment, including subgroups with acute coronary syndrome, cardiac arrest, or cardiogenic shock. Based on these observational data, the use of a Hgb threshold < 8 g/dL for RBC transfusion is suggested for most CICU patients, although a potential advantage of RBC transfusion at a nadir Hgb of 8-9.9 g/dL could not be excluded; there was no benefit from RBC transfusion at a nadir Hgb ≥ 10 g/dL.