SUMMARY
The research program of Matthew A. Warner, M.D., studies patient blood management. Focus areas include clinical and translational research in the space of anemia, coagulopathy, hemorrhage and transfusion therapies. Specifically, Dr. Warner's team evaluates the mechanisms responsible for blood health concerns in surgical patients and the critically ill. He assesses the optimal use of transfusion- and nontransfusion-based therapies to prevent and correct these conditions. Additionally, Dr. Warner evaluates multidimensional functional outcomes of surgical patients and those who have recovered from critical illnesses.
Focus areas
- Anemia. Dr. Warner's primary research focus is the prevention and treatment of anemia in hospitalized patients, particularly those having surgery and those who are critically ill. Anemia is a modifiable risk factor for adverse outcomes of acute illness, including organ injury, impaired recovery of physical function, readmissions and mortality. Through observational studies, translational research and clinical trials, Dr. Warner's team evaluates new strategies to diminish the severity of anemia development during acute illness. He also explores ways to promote hemoglobin recovery with pharmacological anemia treatments tailored to the unique etiologies driving anemia development.
- Transfusion therapy. Allogeneic transfusions are widely employed in medical practice, but evidence is limited to guide patients and clinicians in decision making. Transfusions are often beneficial for patients with acute bleeding and impaired oxygen delivery or ongoing coagulopathy. However, transfusions are a costly and limited resource that may harm patients. Leaning on longstanding clinical and research expertise in patient blood management, Dr. Warner's team evaluates the appropriate use of transfusion therapies in clinical practice. His group places special emphasis on prophylactic transfusion administration in advance of surgery. Dr. Warner also prioritizes identifying physiological- and laboratory-based triggers for transfusions in people with recent or ongoing hemorrhage.
- Patient-centered outcomes. Most clinical research in acute illness and surgery has relied on traditional health-utilization outcomes, such as transfusion utilization, hospital length of stay and mortality. While these outcomes are readily accessible for researchers, they may not accurately reflect the quality of recovery for patients. Dr. Warner's team evaluates innovative strategies to determine which results matter the most to patients. Then his group validates and measures these outcomes in survivors of acute illness. Such patient-centered outcomes often span multiple functional domains — physical function, cognition, mental health, quality of life — while providing enhanced insight into quality of recovery after acute illness.
Significance to patient care
Blood health issues, such as anemia or blood clotting disorders, are often overlooked during sudden, serious illness but can be linked to harmful long-term results for patients. Dr. Warner's team finds new and better ways to prevent and treat these conditions when patients have or are getting over serious illnesses. Treatments may include blood transfusions, which may be helpful for some but not all patients, and new nontransfusion-based therapies.
By preventing or treating blood health issues as early as possible, Dr. Warner hopes to get the results that matter the most to patients. Shorter-term improvements might include less time spent in the hospital, fewer complications after surgery and lower rates of organ injury. Longer-term results might include recovery of physical ability, improved thinking and mental health, and general quality of life.
Professional highlights
- Society for the Advancement of Patient Blood Management:
- President elect, 2024-present.
- Secretary, 2022-2024.
- Vice chair, Committee on Patient Blood Management, American Society of Anesthesiologists, 2024-present.
- Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2021-present.
- Medical director, Patient Blood Management Program, Mayo Clinic, 2020-present.
- Chair, Patient Blood Management Subcommittee, Mayo Clinic, 2020-present.
- Medical director, Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Program, Mayo Clinic, 2020-present.
- Medical director, Preoperative Anemia Clinic, Mayo Clinic, 2019-present.
- Chair, Research Committee, Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists, 2020-2022.
- KL2 Mentored Career Development Award, Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Mayo Clinic, 2018-2021.