Preoperative Hemoglobin Optimization Research Articles

Consensus of the Brazilian association of hematology, hemotherapy and cellular therapy on patient blood management: History and scenario of patient blood management in the world and in Brazil

Patient Blood Management (PBM) is a multidimensional approach that seeks to optimize the use of blood and its components in patients. This matter emerged as a response to the need to reduce unnecessary exposure to blood transfusions and their potential risks. In the past, blood transfusion was often overused resulting in complications and high costs. The advent of Patient Blood Management has caused a paradigm shift, highlighting anemia prevention, bleeding control and maximizing the production of blood cells by the organism itself. Patient Blood Management guidelines include the early identification of anemia, strategies to minimize blood loss during surgery, intraoperative blood conservation techniques, preoperative hemoglobin optimization and evidence-based approaches to the rational use of blood transfusions. Aiming to improve clinical outcomes, decrease transfusion-related complications and reduce associated costs, this multidisciplinary approach counts on doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. Based on research and clinical evidence, Patient Blood Management continues to evolve thereby promoting safer, more effective patient-centered practices. Its implementation has proven beneficial in various medical contexts thereby contributing to improvements in the quality of care provided to patients. Our goal with this Consensus is to present readers with a broad and diverse view of Patient Blood Management so that they have the building blocks to implement this new technique.

Preoperative Hemoglobin Optimization in Jehovah's Witness Cardiovascular Surgery Patients with Anemia and Barriers to Care

Cardiac surgery has a risk for extensive blood loss which poses a particular challenge in individuals refusing blood transfusions. Additionally, preoperative anemia with a hemoglobin (Hb) below 13 g/dL in men and 12 g/dL in women is associated with increased short and long-term complications and mortality and increases the need for blood transfusion support. The current guidelines for perioperative anemia management recommend optimizing hemoglobin levels prior to surgery and utilizing blood conservation techniques during the procedure. At present red blood cell (RBC) transfusions during cardiac surgery are usually recommended when Hb levels are below 7-8 g/dL a restrictive transfusion strategy to reduce complications. However, the use of any RBC transfusions is associated with worse outcomes in cardiac surgery compared with those who do not receive transfusions.We have found that JW seek out quality health care and accept the vast majority of medical treatments once they are educated. The Transfusion Free Medicine Coordinator's role in the Anemia Clinic is to endorse clinical strategies for managing hemorrhage and anemia without blood transfusion. They educate and counsel the patients so they can decide as to what blood fractions and cell salvage techniques they will accept. We have found that some Health Care Providers are unaware that ESAs also contain albumin so JW patients may be given this product without that knowledge. The vast majority of patients will accept the use of ESAs but find the cost prohibitive.Jehovah's Witness patients have provided a natural case study for examining how well adjuvant therapies can improve preoperative anemia without transfusions and continue with good outcomes. Hb optimization is achieved through the use of intravenous iron and, if needed, erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs). In Table 1 we highlight our single center data in which all cardiovascular surgeries were performed by a surgeon experienced in blood-conservation strategies. Our thirty-day re-admission rates for all patients was zero percent, compared to state-specific data, which estimates about an 11.7% rate of re-admission. The data illustrate the need to have a target Hb 13 or above to allow for the decline that may occur during the hospital stay. Of note no thromboembolic events have occurred with the use of an ESA in this group.Although ESAs are approved to optimize Hb in orthopedic surgery, they are not covered for cardiac surgery which has presented a significant challenge to patients who can not safely proceed to surgery until a target Hb between 13 to 15 g/dL is achieved.These data highlight the utility and safety associated with the use of ESAs for patients who do not accept blood products at an experienced Center for Transfusion-Free Medicine, such as ours. At this time, since insurance companies do not cover the cost of ESAs for patients needing life-saving cardiovascular operations, cost is a prohibitive barrier for patients. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for patients to have to borrow money from others or set up payment plans. We hope that analyses like ours will help drive changes in reimbursement policies, particularly for patients who based on religious convictions, cannot receive blood products, and thus for whom pre-operative hemoglobin optimization is of utmost importance. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare. OffLabel Disclosure:Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) are indicated for the treatment of anemia due to Chronic Kidney Disease in patients on dialysis and not on dialysis, Zidovudine in patients with HIV-infection, anemia due to myelosuppressive chemotherapy and reduction of allogeneic RBC transfusions in patients undergoing elective, noncardiac, nonvascular surgery

Rationalized preoperative management of hip and knee arthroplasty patients: A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundCurrent practices prioritize transfusion readiness over preoperative hemoglobin (Hgb) optimization in elective arthroplasty patients. We characterized the relationship between preoperative Hgb and perioperative transfusion among patients undergoing primary hip and knee replacement in order to identify a threshold Hgb at which the probability of transfusion is negligibly low. We then evaluated an alternative preoperative patient management algorithm using an evidence-guided threshold for pre-transfusion testing. MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study of adults undergoing elective primary hip or knee arthroplasty at two academic hospitals between 2010 and 2017. A subset of patients received either no treatment, iron supplementation, or erythropoietin preoperatively. Logistic regressions modelled the likelihood of transfusion, adjusted for baseline covariates. Receiver operating characteristic plots were generated to determine which Hgb threshold best predicted transfusion. Our results informed a quality-improvement initiative involving revised preoperative clinical pathway. ResultsWe included 13,113 patients. A 10 g/L lower Hgb corresponded to 2.81 (95%CI: 2.43–3.25; p < 0.001) and 2.34 (95%CI: 1.95–2.82; p < 0.001) times higher likelihood among hip and knee arthroplasty patients, respectively. A Hgb ≤115 g/L yielded negative predictive values of 98% and 99% for predicting transfusion in hip and knee patients, respectively. A subsequent quality-improvement initiative decreased unnecessary pretransfusion testing by 82%, and was associated with cost-savings. ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that, at our center, a preoperative Hgb ≤115 g/L distinguishes between joint arthroplasty patients who require transfusion from those who do not. Patient-guided pretransfusion testing may streamline joint arthroplasty program efficiency.

Reducing Allogenic Blood Transfusion in Pediatric Scoliosis Surgery:: Reporting 15 Years of a Multidisciplinary, Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Project.

Study Design:Retrospective review of prospectively collected spinal surgery and transfusion databases.Objectives:To evaluate the efficacy of a care pathway developed at our institution since 2003 with a focus on reducing the need for blood transfusions in children undergoing scoliosis correction surgery. The care pathway includes nurse-led clinics facilitating preoperative hemoglobin optimization, intraoperative cell salvage, the use of tranexamic acid, and a transfusion criteria awareness program.Methods:Retrospective review of our institution’s prospectively recorded spinal surgery and transfusion databases including all cases of scoliosis surgery in patients 18 years and younger between 2001 and 2015.Results:A total of 1039 procedures were included in the analysis. Overall, 24.4% of patients received a transfusion. The proportion of patients transfused was 89.2% in 2001-2003, 39.6% in 2004-2006, 16.5% in 2007-2009, 15.6% in 2010-2012, and 20.1% in 2013-2015. The volume of blood products transfused in those undergoing transfusion was 9.1 units in 2001-2003, 4.8 units in 2004-2006, 5.0 units in 2007-2009, 2.3 units in 2010-2012, and 2.1 units in 2013-2015. A multivariate logistic regression demonstrated adjusted odds ratios for the probability of receiving any transfusion of 5.45 (95% confidence interval 3.62-8.11) for patients with neuromuscular diagnoses and 11.17 (5.02-24.86) for those undergoing combined anterior and posterior surgical approach.Conclusions:We have demonstrated over a 15-year period that the introduction of a multifaceted, multidisciplinary pathway can dramatically and sustainably reduce the need for blood transfusions and their attendant risks in pediatric scoliosis surgery. This data lends weight to the adoption of such a care pathway in pediatric scoliosis surgery.

Hemoglobin Optimization for Coronary Bypass: A 10-Year Canadian Multicenter Experience

We report our 10-year experience of a multicenter hemoglobin optimization program with the aim to reduce red blood cell transfusion in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). From 2006 to 2016, patients undergoing CABG at 10 centers in Ontario were referred to the Ontario Transfusion Coordinators (ONTraC) program. Of these, we present data on the first 60 consecutive patients per center, per year (n= 6,145). Overall, 45.7% patients were assessed <14 days preoperatively, 16.4% were assessed ≥14 days preoperatively, and 37.9% were not assessed by ONTraC preoperatively. Transfusion rates fell from 40.1% in 2006 to 26.2% in 2016 (p < 0.01). Patients undergoing assessment were more likely to be older (p < 0.01), female (p<0.01), and anemic (p < 0.01) versus nonassessed patients. Those patients assessed were more likely to be treated with iron (p < 0.01) and erythropoietin (p < 0.01) preoperatively versus nonassessed patients. Transfusion rates were 26%, 28%, and 28% for patients undergoing assessment ≥14 days prior to operation, <14 days prior to operation, or not at all. After baseline covariate adjustment, patients assessed ≥14 days preoperatively had shorter length of stay (effect -0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.41 to -0.25; p < 0.01) and a trend towards lower risk of red blood cell transfusion (odds ratio [OR] 0.83, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.00; p= 0.06). Blood transfusion was independently associated with an increased risk of death (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.37 to 1.60; p < 0.01), infection (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.30; p < 0.01), and longer hospital length of stay (effect 1.49, 95% CI 1.35 to 1.62; p < 0.01). The results of this study suggest that preoperative hemoglobin optimization may be effective in reducing red blood cell transfusion after CABG, particularly for patients assessed ≥14 days preoperatively.

Conducta transfusional perioperatoria en la cirugía del cáncer gástrico: análisis del registro del grupo español EURECCA de cáncer esófago-gástrico

IntroductionThis study evaluated allogenic packed red blood cell (aPRBC) transfusion rates in patients undergoing resection for gastric cancer and the implementation of blood-saving protocols (BSP). MethodsRetrospective study of all gastric cancer patients operated on with curative intent in Catalonia and Navarra (2011-2013) and included in the Spanish subset of the EURECCA Oesophago-Gastric Cancer Registry. Hospitals with BSP were defined as those with a preoperative haemoglobin (Hb) optimisation circuit associated with restrictive transfusion strategies. Predictors of aPRBC transfusion were identified by multinomial logistic regression analysis. ResultsA total of 652 patients were included, 274 (42.0%) of which received aPRBC transfusion. Six of the 19 participating hospitals had BSP and treated 145 (22.2%) patients. Low Hb level at diagnosis (10 vs 12.4g/dL), ASA score III/IV, pT3-4, open surgery, associated visceral resection, and having being operated on in a hospital without BSP were predictors of aPRBC transfusion, while low Hb level, associated visceral resection, and non-BSP hospital remained predictors in the multivariate analysis. In case of comparable risk factors for aPRBC transfusion, there was a higher use of preoperative intravenous iron treatment (26.2% vs 13.2%) and a lower percentage of transfusions (31.7% vs 45%) in hospitals with BSP. ConclusionsThe perioperative transfusion rate in gastric cancer was 42%. Hospitals with BSP showed a significant reduction of blood transfusions but treated only 22% of patients. Main predictors of aPRBC were low Hb level, associated visceral resection, and undergoing surgery at a hospital without BSP.

Efficacy of topical tranexamic acid within a blood-saving programme for primary total hip arthroplasty: a pragmatic, open-label randomised study.

Total hip arthroplasty entails considerable peri-operative blood loss, which may lead to acute post-operative anaemia and red blood cell transfusion. This study was aimed at assessing whether the addition of topical tranexamic acid to our ongoing blood-saving protocol for total hip arthroplasty was effective and safe. A pragmatic, prospective, open-label randomised study of patients scheduled for total hip arthroplasty at a single centre was conducted. Consecutive patients were randomly assigned to receive topical tranexamic acid (2 g) at the end of surgery (tranexamic group, n=125) or not (control group, n=129). A restrictive transfusion protocol was applied. Outcome measures were red blood cell loss at 24 hours after surgery, in-hospital transfusion rate, and incidence of thromboembolic complications. Topical tranexamic acid was effective in reducing both red cell loss (mean difference: 138 mL [95% CI 87-189 mL]; p<0.001) in the 24h after surgery and in-hospital transfusion rates (12 vs 32.6%, for the tranexamic acid and control groups, respectively; p<0.001; relative risk=0.37 [95% CI 0.22-0.63]). However, relative red cell loss and transfusion rates were higher in females than in males, irrespectively of tranexamic acid use. The beneficial effect of tranexamic acid on transfusion was restricted to patients with pre-operative haemoglobin ≥13 g/dL (5.1 vs 24.8%; p<0.001). Topical tranexamic acid was well tolerated and no clinically apparent thromboembolic complications were witnessed. The use of topical tranexamic acid after hip arthroplasty reduced red cell loss and transfusion rates; the efficacy of this strategy may be improved by reinforcing both pre-operative haemoglobin optimisation and adherence to the practice of transfusing single units of red cells.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of ferric carboxymaltose in pre-operative haemoglobin optimisation in patients undergoing primary knee arthroplasty.

An analytic-decision model was built to estimate the cost-effectiveness of using ferric carboxymaltose for pre-operative haemoglobin optimisation in patients with iron deficiency anaemia undergoing primary knee arthroplasty. We simulated 20,000 patients who were randomly assigned to the haemoglobin optimisation arm or the non-optimisation control arm in a strict 1:1 ratio. The main outcomes were cost per patient transfusion avoided and red blood cell units spared. The analyses were performed from the hospital perspective with length of stay as the time horizon. In the reference case scenario, pre-operative haemoglobin optimisation led to fewer patients being exposed to allogeneic red blood cell transfusion (2,212 vs 6,595 out of 10,000 patients) and a relevant decrease in the number of red blood cell units transfused (4.342 vs 13.336). The costs of avoiding one patient transfusion and sparing one red blood cell unit were € 831 and € 405, respectively. Increased costs in the optimisation arm were mostly associated with the outpatient day hospital visit (54%) and ferric carboxymaltose treatment (40%). In primary knee arthroplasty, pre-operative haemoglobin optimisation with intravenous ferric carboxymaltose is less expensive than other reported patient blood management modalities and must be considered in patients with iron deficiency anaemia.

Predicting Perioperative Transfusion in Elective Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Validated Predictive Model.

Preoperative anemia is a significant predictor of perioperative erythrocyte transfusion in elective arthroplasty patients. However, interactions with other patient and procedure characteristics predicting transfusion requirements have not been well studied. Patients undergoing elective primary total hip arthroplasty or total knee arthroplasty at a tertiary hospital in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, from January 2010 to June 2014 were used to identify preoperative predictors of perioperative transfusion. A logistic regression model was developed and externally validated with an independent data set from three other hospitals in Adelaide. Altogether, 737 adult patients in the derivation group and 653 patients in the validation group were included. Binary logistic regression modeling identified preoperative hemoglobin (odds ratio, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.59; P < 0.001 for each 1 g/dl increase), total hip arthroplasty (odds ratio, 3.56; 95% CI, 2.39 to 5.30; P < 0.001), and females 65 yr of age and older (odds ratio, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.88 to 6.04; P = 0.01) as predictors of transfusion in the derivation cohort. Using a combination of patient-specific preoperative variables, this validated model can predict transfusion in patients undergoing elective hip and knee arthroplasty. The model may also help to identify patients whose need for transfusion may be decreased through preoperative hemoglobin optimization.

Minimizing Blood Transfusion in Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Through a Multimodal Approach

BackgroundWe introduced a multimodal, multidisciplinary approach to perioperative blood management aimed at reducing blood transfusions in primary knee (TKA) and hip (THA) arthroplasty. The protocol included (1) preoperative hemoglobin optimization through a multidisciplinary approach, (2) minimization of perioperative blood loss, and (3) adherence to evidence-based transfusion guidelines. MethodsEvaluation of 1010 consecutive patients undergoing primary TKA (488) or THA (522) was performed. ResultsA significant reduction in the overall transfusion rate (1.4% vs 17.9%, P<.0001) resulted after algorithm introduction, when compared with the 1814 previous patients. Zero (0%) TKA and 4 (0.8%) THA patients adherent to protocol, and 4/488 (0.8%) TKA and 10/522 (1.9%) THA patients overall received transfusions. ConclusionAdoption of a multimodal blood management algorithm can significantly reduce blood transfusions in primary joint arthroplasty.

Blood transfusion after primary total knee arthroplasty can be significantly minimised through a multimodal blood-loss prevention approach

Our aim was to clarify the effective decrease in blood transfusion after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) from a multimodal blood-loss prevention approach (MBLPA) and the related risk factors of blood transfusion. We retrospectively compared the rate of postoperative blood transfusion in 418 cases of primary TKA during 2010 from a single institution with two different groups of patients, allocating cases to the group with MBLPA (group 1, study group, N = 71) and controls to the group without MBLPA (group 2, standard group, N = 347). MBLPA procedure included pre-operative haemoglobin (Hb) optimisation; femoral canal obturation; limited incision and release; peri- and intra-articular use of saline with adrenalin, morpheic chloride, tobramycin, betamethasone and ropivacaine; tourniquet release after skin closure; 24 hour drain under atmospheric pressure; and two doses of tranexamic acid (TXA) i.v.. In the control group, surgeons followed the standard procedure without blood-saving techniques. Case-control comparison and blood transfusion risk factors were analysed. Group 1 had a zero transfusion rate (0/71), whereas 27.4% of patients (95/347) in group 2 received allogenic blood transfusion. Significant transfusion risk factors were pre-operative Hb <12 g/dl), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status III and nonobese body mass index (BMI); Age and gender were not significant risk factors. MBLPA in primary TKA was highly effective, with a zero transfusion rate. Risk factors for transfusion were determined, and eliminating them contributed to the avoidance of allogeneic blood transfusion in our study series.

Blood conservation strategies reduce the need for transfusions in ascending and aortic arch surgery

Ascending and aortic arch surgery is associated with higher levels of blood loss and subsequent need for allogeneic blood transfusions. We hypothesized that aggressive, comprehensive blood conservation strategies may limit the need for transfusions and, subsequently, improve postoperative outcomes. Over a five-year period, 189 patients underwent proximal aortic surgery at our institution. Fifty-one patients underwent surgery using a comprehensive blood conservation strategy (BCS), including preoperative hemoglobin optimization, antifibrinolytic therapy, intraoperative acute normovolemic hemodilution, cell salvage and meticulous surgical technique. The remaining 138 patients underwent surgery using conventional techniques (CONV). Patients in the BCS group required fewer transfusions during their hospital stay compared to the conventional group (56.9% vs. 72.5%, p=0.041). When examining elective cases, this trend widens, with 40.0% of BCS patients requiring any transfusions compared to 72.9% patients in the conventional group (p=0.001). Red cell (47.1% vs. 62.3%, p=0.06), plasma (43.1% vs. 61.6%, p=0.02) and platelets (27.5% vs. 47.8%, p=0.01) were also less frequently required in the BCS group than the conventional group, respectively. When a transfusion was required, patients in the BCS group received significantly fewer units of red blood cells (2.8 ± 7.0 units) than the conventional group (5.81 ± 9.5 units; p=0.039). Mortality was similar in both groups (BCS 7.8%, conventional 10.9%, p=0.54); however, there was significantly less morbidity in the BCS group, using a composite of any of 10 major postoperative complications (23.5% vs. 39.1%; p=0.046). Median intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital lengths of stay were 2 and 7 days in the BCS group and 2 and 8 days in the CONV group (p=0.15), respectively. The aggressive use of a comprehensive blood conservation strategy in ascending and aortic arch surgery can significantly reduce the need for blood transfusions and is associated with less postoperative morbidity. Further evaluation with a randomized, controlled trial is warranted.