Article révisé par les pairs
Résumé : Anaemia is a frequent complication in patients suffering from primary brain injuries and often considered as a burden for secondary brain insult. The optimal haemoglobin level in these patients remains unknown. Red blood cells transfusions in patients with traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid haemorrhage, and ischemic cerebrovascular accident can improve cerebral oxygen delivery but also result in significant complications. The aim of this review is to report the most important data on the role of anaemia and blood transfusion in the critically ill patients with acute brain damage. © 2013 Société de réanimation de langue française (SRLF) and Springer-Verlag France.