Intravenous iron before heart surgery cuts transfusion needs
· News-MedicalA third of patients undergoing cardiac surgery are anemic and 20-50% receive a blood transfusion after surgery, which is linked to increased risks of complications, longer hospital stays, and death after surgery.
Participants were randomly assigned to either intravenous iron or placebo 1-26 weeks before surgery and the number of days alive and at home up to 90 days after surgery was recorded. Other outcomes included red cell transfusion and postoperative complications.
Red blood cell transfusions were given to 262 patients (61%) in the iron group and 302 patients (68%) in the placebo group during their hospital stay. There were no differences in major complications or length of hospital stay.
As such, they conclude: "This study shows that intravenous iron repletion in patients with anemia before cardiac surgery increased preoperative haemoglobin concentration, reduced the need for red cell transfusion, and resulted in an extra day at home in the first 90 days after surgery."
Intravenous iron also saved approximately 44 units of blood products for every 100 patients treated, they add.
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