A systematic review including 10 studies was abstracted in DARE. The reduction in post-operative infection with leukoreduced transfusion compared with non-leukoreduced transfusion was not statistically significant for all patients randomised (n=3,073; RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.08), but was statistically significant for transfused patients (n=2,358; RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.93).
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by limitations in study quality (poor reporting of methodology) and by inconsistency (variability in results across studies).