Mild chronic anemia following heart transplantation: a syndrome with prognostic relevance?
The clinical relevance of mild chronic anemia in patients after heart transplantation (HTX) has not yet been demonstrated. Forty-five outpatients who had undergone HTX 2-99 months prior to investigation and who had not received blood transfusions or erythropoietin (EPO) before data acquisition were observed over a period of 37 months. Anemia was found in 36 of the 45 patients and was normocytic, normochromic, and slightly anisocytotic (coefficient of variation = 16 +/- 2, normal 11.5-14.5). Anemic patients showed elevated EPO levels, whereas in nonanemic patients EPO levels were normal. Survival after HTX differed significantly in anemic and nonanemic patients (P < 0.02), with 100% survival in the nonanemic and 85% in the anemic group. Chronic anemia in patients after HTX shows a typical pattern. Even when mild, anemia in patients after HTX seems to be of prognostic value and thus might be an indicator of chronic disorders.
Müller
H M
HM
Department of Surgery, Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Medical School, Austria.
Aigner
R
R
Horina
J H
JH
Rehak
P
P
Lang
T
T
Iberer
F
F
Wasler
A
A
Petutschnigg
B
B
Allmayer
T
T
Grasser
B
B
Prenner
G
G
Schaffellner
S
S
Tscheliessnigg
K H
KH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
D004921:Erythropoietin; D007501:Iron