FFP transfusion in decompensated cirrhosis

Joanna Dionne, MD, MSc, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Division of Critical Care and Division of Gastroenterology at McMaster University.

Is decompensated cirrhosis an indication for fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion?

Thank you for that question. “No” is the simple answer. In patients who have decompensated cirrhosis and who are not bleeding, there would not be an indication to give FFP, and that’s supported by the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) guidelines on the management of bleeding in cirrhosis patients. You also do not need to give blood products prior to invasive procedures in this patient population, and that’s supported by recent research and guidelines.