title: The prevalence and significance of low preoperative hemoglobin in ASA 1 or 2 outpatient surgery candidates.
abstract: Asymptomatic anemia in healthy patients undergoing low risk surgery is rare. In this retrospective study, we examined the records of 9584 ASA class I-II patients scheduled for elective low risk surgery who had a preoperative hemoglobin (hgb) test for the presence of anemia. Hgb <9 g/dL was detected in 75 patients (0.8%). Perioperative management of anemia occurred in no cases of elective surgery in this group. Transfusion of red cells occurred in four other patients, all of whom had hgb >9 g/dL. In all cases, management decisions were based on clinical factors rather than the preoperative hemoglobin test. In healthy patients undergoing low risk elective surgery, routine preoperative hgb testing is not indicated.
authors.affiliation: Departmentof Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Duke Health Technology Solutions, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Miami, Miami, Florida.
authors.forename: Ronald P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lubarsky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins