Yao Qingqing, Cui Ruihong, Zhang Junjie
Objective To evaluate the effect of leukocyte-filtered blood transfusion on perioperative immune function in trauma patients and to identify independent factors associated with postoperative wound infection. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 173 trauma patients admitted to the Emergency Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from June 2022 to September 2024. Patients were grouped as follows: observation group (n=57) — received leukocyte-filtered blood component transfusion; control group (n=58) — received whole blood transfusion; blank group (n=58) — did not require transfusion. Perioperative clinical indicators were recorded, and T-cell subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and CD4+/CD8+) were measured preoperatively and on postoperative days 1, 3, and 7 (POD1,3,7). Among transfused patients, those with and without postoperative wound infection were compared; logistic regression identified independent risk and protective factors for wound infection, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis assessed the predictive performance of selected variables. Results Operative time and duration of drain placement did not differ significantly among the three groups (P>0.05). Transfusion volume was comparable between the observation and control groups (P>0.05). All three groups exhibited significant reductions in CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+on POD1, POD3, and POD7 compared with preoperative levels (P<0.05). However, on POD3 and POD7 the decreases in CD3+ and CD8+were significantly smaller in the observation group than in the control and blank groups (P<0.05). The reductions in CD4+on POD3 and POD7 were significantly smaller in the observation and blank groups compared with the control group (P<0.05). CD4+/CD8+ratios increased on POD3 and POD7 in both the observation and blank groups (P<0.05). Among 115 transfused patients, 24 (20.87%) developed postoperative wound infection. Multivariate logistic regression identified surgical type, mean red blood cell storage time, duration of drain placement, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) score, and Injury Severity Score (ISS) score as independent risk factors for postoperative wound infection (all P<0.05), while perioperative antibiotic use was an independent protective factor (P<0.05). ROC analysis showed that mean red blood cell storage time, APACHE Ⅱ score, ISS score, and their combined prediction significantly discriminated patients who developed wound infection (P<0.05); the combined model yielded an AUC of 0.991 (95% CI: 0.980-1.000), sensitivity 1.000, and specificity 0.956. Conclusion Leukocyte-filtered blood transfusion attenuates transfusion-related impairment of immune function in trauma patients and may facilitate recovery. Surgical type, mean red blood cell storage time, duration of drain placement, APACHE Ⅱ, and ISS are independent risk factors for postoperative wound infection after transfusion, whereas perioperative antibiotic administration is protective. Enhanced monitoring and targeted preventive interventions are recommended to reduce postoperative wound infection risk.