Prevalence of Anemia in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery and Need for Transfusion During Surgery Regarding Hemoglobin Levels in Rajaie Heart Center

Abstract

<span><strong><em>Background: </em></strong><span>Bleeding occurs during and after cardiac surgery, resulting in postoperative<span> anemia. If patients have preoperative anemia, the need for blood transfusion increases.<span> Transfusion is associated with several complications.<br /><span><strong><em>Methods: </em></strong><span>In this study, severe anemia was defined as hemoglobin (Hb) < 8 g/dL, moderate<span> anemia was defined as Hb = 8–10 g/dL, and mild anemia was defined as Hb = 10–12<span> g/dL for women and Hb = 10–13 g/dL for men. In the entire study population, the need<span> for transfusion according to the Hb level and the amount of blood transfusion were<span> evaluated. The study aimed to determine the association between anemia and the<span> patients' age, sex, type of surgery, and weight.<br /><span><strong><em>Results: </em></strong><span>In this study, 306 patients were evaluated in a 3-month period. The mean Hb level of<span> the patients was 13.1 g/dL (12.08–14.2), and the mean hematocrit level was 39.5%<span> (36.17–42.15). Anemia was reported in 32.4% of the patients (Hb < 12 g/dL for women<span> and Hb < 13 g/dL for men). According to the anemia classification, 90.9% of the anemic<span> patients had mild anemia, 8.1% moderate anemia, and 1% severe anemia. Of the 306<span> patients, 68.6% did not need to receive packed red blood cells. Additionally, of the 207<span> patients who were not included in the anemia group, 44 (21.2%) cases received packed<span> red blood cells due to surgical bleeding. However, of the 99 patients who were anemic,<span> 52 (52.52%) cases needed packed red blood cells.<br /><span><strong><em>Conclusions: </em></strong><span>In the present investigation, about one-third of the study population had anemia<span> before surgery and these patients required blood transfusion 2.5 times more than those<span> without anemia.</span></span></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>