Management of postoperative complications: anemia.
Anemia is extremely common following hip fracture. Consistent data from randomized trials show that transfusion of less blood, with a transfusion threshold around 8 g/dL hemoglobin concentration, is preferable to a traditional threshold of 10 g/dL. Adoption of a lower threshold leads to at least equivalent clinical outcomes, with much less exposure to transfusion costs and risks. The most common complication of transfusion is circulatory overload. Future research may elucidate the optimal transfusion threshold for these elderly patients and address the specific needs of subgroups of patients, including those with acute coronary syndrome or chronic kidney disease.
Division of Education, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 1 RWJ Place, MEB-486, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA. Electronic address: willetlr@rwjms.rutgers.edu.
Laura Rees
LR
Willett
Division of General Internal Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 125 Paterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. Electronic address: jeffrey.carson@rutgers.edu.
Jeffrey L
JL
Carson
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000740:Anemia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015897:Comorbidity; D016330:Frail Elderly; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
Anemia; Blood transfusion; Hip fracture