title: The prevalence of anaemia, hypochromia and microcytosis in preoperative cardiac surgical patients.
abstract: This retrospective study aimed to determine the prevalence of preoperative anaemia, hypochromia and microcytosis in cardiac surgery patients. Data was analysed for 943 patients (over a two-year period) undergoing coronary artery bypass graft, valve or combined coronary artery bypass graft and valve surgery at a tertiary hospital in South Australia. Overall prevalence of preoperative anaemia was 25.2%, greater in males than females (27.6 vs 19.9%, P <0.01). Of patients with preoperative anaemia, 19.3% had reduced red cell indices (mean corpuscular haemoglobin and/or mean corpuscular volume) compared to 4% of patients without anaemia. The proportion of anaemic patients with low red cell indices was significantly higher in women <50 years and 50-65 years, compared to those >65 years of age (P=0.003). Anaemic patients with low red cell indices had lower preoperative haemoglobin than anaemic patients without low red cell indices (median haemoglobin 112 vs 120 g/l, P=0.008). Compared to non-anaemic patients, anaemic patients had higher transfusion rates (79.8 vs 46.4%, P <0.0001), which were greater in those with reduced red cell indices compared to those with normal red cell indices (93.5 vs 76.6%, P=0.01). This study demonstrated a high prevalence of preoperative anaemia, microcytosis and hypochromia in cardiac surgical patients.
authors: Royal Adelaide Hospital, Department of Anaesthesia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors: O
authors: O
authors: David
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Sinha
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Robinson
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Cardone
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D015331:Cohort Studies; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins
keywords: anaemia; cardiac surgery