Preoperative Anemia Is a Prognostic Factor for Poor Outcomes After Noncardiac Surgery

Even mild anemia is associated with higher perioperative morbidity and mortality, but should we change our practice?

Preoperative anemia is associated with excess morbidity and mortality in patients who undergo cardiac or orthopedic surgery, likely because of risks related to allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusions (such as healthcare-associated and postoperative infections, transfusion-related acute lung injuries, and longer hospital stays). To determine whether preoperative anemia independently affects outcomes after noncardiac surgeries, researchers evaluated retrospective cohort data for >69,000 noncardiac surgical patients (at >200 hospitals worldwide) with mild anemia (hematocrit [HCT]: 29%–36% for women, 29%–39% for men) or moderate-to-severe anemia (HCT: ≤29% for men and women) and >150,000 nonanemic controls.

Thirty-day morbidity and mortalit…

Reviewing Author

Aaron J. Calderon, MD, FACP

Disclosures

EquityAbbott; Medtronic; Merck; Pfizer; CVS Health Corp.; Bristol Myers Squibb

Aaron J. Calderon, MD, FACP

Disclosures

EquityAbbott; Medtronic; Merck; Pfizer; CVS Health Corp.; Bristol Myers Squibb