title: Does tranexamic acid reduce blood transfusion following surgery for inter-trochanteric fracture? A randomized control trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the frequency of blood transfusion after surgery for fixation of inter-trochanteric fractures in patients given tranexamic acid versus placebo.
  
  
  METHODS
  The randomised control trial was conducted at the Aga khan university hospital from May 1 to October 31, 2014, and comprised patients diagnosed with Inter-trochanteric fracture based on X-ray imaging. The patients were randomised into two equal groups based on a computer-generated random number table. The Intervention group received two doses of 10mg/kg body weight of tranexamic acid just before surgery and three hours later intravenously. The Control group received two doses of 10mg/kg body weight of normal saline at similar intervals. Numbers of blood transfusions required postoperatively were noted based on the postoperative haemoglobin readings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 100 patients who were divided into groups of 50(50%) each. Mean post-op haemoglobin for the intervention group was 10.2±2.4 g/dl and for the control group it was 8.9±2.4 g/dl (p=0.007). Nine (18%) patients in intervention group required blood transfusion compared to 21(42%) in control group (p=0.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administering tranexamic acid was a useful and safe option for reducing requirement of blood transfusion postoperatively after inter-trochanteric hip fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Yasir
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mohib
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Rizwan Haroon
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Moiz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Akbar Jaleel
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Zubairi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: Masood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Umer
keywords: Hip fractures, Tranexamic acid, Blood transfusion.