Darrell J. Triulzi, MD

Division Director, Transfusion Medicine, Professor of Pathology

Dr. Triulzi is the Director of the Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Pathology and Medical Director, Clinical Services Vitalant-Pittsburgh. Dr Triulzi serves as the division leader in transfusion medicine. The division provides clinical transfusion support to the UPMC health system hospitals and is actively involved in its Patient Blood Management Program. Dr Triulzi leads a robust clinical research program in the division.

Clinical Expertise

Dr. Triulzi has general expertise in the area of transfusion medicine with particular clinical and research expertise in transfusion support of oncology/hematology, trauma, cardiac surgery and organ and stem cell transplant patients. He is highly involved both locally and nationally in Patient Blood Management and its application to orthopedic surgery, cardiac surgery and trauma.

Education & Training
MD - Albany Medical College, 1985
Internship - Internal Medicine University of Pittsburgh, 1986
Residency - Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, 1990
Fellowship - Blood Bank/Transfusion Medicine, Johns Hopkins, 1992
Research Interests

Dr. Triulzi's research interests include red cell storage, platelet transfusions, transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI), transfusion associated circulatory overload (TACO), leukoreduction, and transfusion support of stem cell and solid organ transplant recipients. The Division participates in multi-institutional NIH funded clinical trials in transfusion medicine and hemostatsis including MINT, A-TREAT, PPOWER and SCD CARRE. Dr Triulzi also served as the PI on the REDSIII NHLBI epidemiologic study of recipient outcomes and donor safety (REDSIII). Current areas of investigation include red cell transfusion triggers, anti-fibrinolytic therapy in adult and pediatric hematology-oncology patients and red cell exchange in patients with sickle cell disease.

NIH Research

View Dr. Triulzi's NIH RePORT on nih.gov

Representative Publications

View Dr. Triulzi's publications on PubMed

  • Carson JL, Triulzi DJ, Ness PM. Indications for and Adverse Effects of Red-Cell Transfusion. N Engl J Med. 2017 Sep 28;377(13):1261-1272. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1612789. Review. No abstract available. PMID: 28953438.
  • Roubinian NH, Hendrickson JE, Triulzi DJ et al. Contemporary risk factors and outcomes of transfusion associated circulatory overload. Crit Care Med 2018;46:577-85. PMID: 29300236.
  • Leeper CM, Yazer MY, Cladis FP, Sladino R, Triulzi DJ, Gaines BA. Use of un-crossmatched cold-stored whole blood in injured children with hemorrhagic shock. (research letter).JAMA Pediatrics 2018 (on-line March 19, 2018).
  • Yazer MH, Cap AP, Spinella PC, Alarcon L, Triulzi DJ. How do I implement a whole blood program for massively bleeding patients? Transfusion 2018;58:622-628. PMID: 29332316.
  • Matthew S. Karafin MS, Westlake M, Hauser RG, Tormey CA, Norris PJ, Roubinian NH, Wu Y, Triulzi DJ, Kleinman S, Hendrickson JE. Risk factors for red blood cell alloimmunization in the Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study (REDS-III) database. Brit J Haem 2018;181:672-81. PMID: 29675950.
  • Seheult JN, Bahr M, Anto V, Alarcon LH, Corcos A, Sperry JL, Triulzi DJ, Yazer MH. Safety profile of uncrossmatched, cold stored, low-titer, group O+ whole blood in civilian trauma patients. Transfusion 2018;58: 2280-2288. PMID: 29802644.
  • Campbell-Lee SA, Gvozdjan K, Choi KM, Chen YF, Saraf SL, Hsu LL, Gordeuk VR, Strauss RG, Triulzi DJ. Red blood cell alloimmunization in sickle cell disease: assessment of transfusion protocols during two time periods. Transfusion 2018;58:1588-1596. PMID: 29570817.
  • Seheult JN, Anto V, Alarcon LH, Sperry JL, Triulzi DJ, Yazer MH. Clinical outcomes among low-titer group O whole blood recipients compared to recipients of conventional components in civilian trauma resuscitation. Transfusion 2018 Aug;58(8):1838-1845. PMID: 30160310.
  • Karafin MS, Tan S, Tormey CA, Spencer BR, Hauser RG, Norris PJ, Roubinian NH, Wu Y, Triulzi DJ, Kleinman SK, Gottschall JL, Hendrickson JE. Prevalence and risk factors for RBC alloantibodies in blood donors in the Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study-III (REDS-III). Transfusion 2019 Jan;59(1):217-225. PMID: 30427537.
  • Seheult JN, Stram MN, Sperry J, Spinella PC, Triulzi DJ, Yazer MH. In silico model of the dilutional effects of conventional component therapy versus whole blood in the management of massively bleeding adult trauma patients. Transfusion 2019 Jan;59(1):146-158. PMID: 30414181.