The impact of blood transfusion on perioperative outcomes following gastric cancer resection: an analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database.
BACKGROUND
Red blood cell transfusions (RBCT) carry risk of transfusion-related immunodulation that may impact postoperative recovery. This study examined the association between perioperative RBCT and short-term postoperative outcomes following gastrectomy for gastric cancer.


METHODS
Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, we compared outcomes of patients (transfused v. nontransfused) undergoing elective gastrectomy for gastric cancer (2007-2012). Outcomes were 30-day major morbidity, mortality and length of stay. The association between perioperative RBCT and outcomes was estimated using modified Poisson, logistic, or negative binomial regression.


RESULTS
Of the 3243 patients in the entire cohort, we included 2884 patients with nonmissing data, of whom 535 (18.6%) received RBCT. Overall 30-day major morbidity and mortality were 20% and 3.5%, respectively. After adjustment for baseline and clinical characteristics, RBCT was independently associated with increased 30-day mortality (relative risk [RR] 3.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9-5.0), major morbidity (RR 1.4, 95% CI 1.2-1.8), length of stay (RR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-1.2), infections (RR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.6), cardiac complications (RR 1.8, 95% CI 1.0-3.2) and respiratory failure (RR 2.3, 95% CI 1.6-3.3).


CONCLUSIONS
Red blood cell transfusions are associated with worse postoperative short-term outcomes in patients with gastric cancer. Blood management strategies are needed to reduce the use of RBCT after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
From the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Elmi, Kagedan, Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. (Mahar); the Division of General Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Division of Clinical Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum); and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum).
Maryam
M
Elmi
From the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Elmi, Kagedan, Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. (Mahar); the Division of General Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Division of Clinical Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum); and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum).
Alyson
A
Mahar
From the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Elmi, Kagedan, Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. (Mahar); the Division of General Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Division of Clinical Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum); and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum).
Daniel
D
Kagedan
From the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Elmi, Kagedan, Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. (Mahar); the Division of General Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Division of Clinical Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum); and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum).
Calvin H L
CH
Law
From the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Elmi, Kagedan, Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. (Mahar); the Division of General Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Division of Clinical Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum); and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum).
Paul J
PJ
Karanicolas
From the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Elmi, Kagedan, Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. (Mahar); the Division of General Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Division of Clinical Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum); and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum).
Yulia
Y
Lin
From the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Elmi, Kagedan, Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. (Mahar); the Division of General Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Division of Clinical Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum); and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum).
Jeannie
J
Callum
From the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Elmi, Kagedan, Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. (Mahar); the Division of General Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Division of Clinical Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum); and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum).
Natalie G
NG
Coburn
From the Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Elmi, Kagedan, Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont. (Mahar); the Division of General Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre - Odette Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Law, Karanicolas, Coburn, Hallet); the Division of Clinical Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum); and the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. (Lin, Callum).
Julie
J
Hallet
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*
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