Outcome of restrictive versus liberal blood transfusion strategies in intensive care unit admitted patients

Background: Anemia is a very common disease in critically ill patients. Approximately 29% of patients have lower than normal hemoglobin levels when admitted to an ICU, and about 95% develop anemia within 3 days of admission

Aim of the Work: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of restrictive and liberal red blood cell transfusion strategies on mortality and morbidity in critically ill patients. And as a result, recommend the more beneficial and the less deleterious strategy for critically ill patients

Patients and Methods: This clinical interventional study was carried out at Intensive Care Unit, Benha Teaching Hospital, Egypt, during a period from July 2017 to November 2017. This study was approved by Ethical Committee of Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, including the informed consents which were obtained from either the patient or the closest family member

Results: Mortality rates in ICU were 16 % and 20% in group A and B respectively, 24% and 28% within 60 days respectively. There were lower mortality rates with group A but with no statistically significant difference between groups according to mortality during ICU Stay and mortality within 60 days

Conclusion: Comparison between the effect of restrictive and liberal strategies of blood transfusion on mortality and morbidity in critically ill patients showed no significant differences. Restrictive strategy is at least as effective to liberal strategy in critically ill patients. Blood transfusion may be hazardous and cost-effective

Recommendations: Anemia is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. However, randomized clinical trials are required to establish if transfusion is beneficial or harmful in anemic patients. A restrictive transfusion strategy should be recommended within the well-studied patient populations and clinical conditions, and the clinicians must continue to use their experience and bedside clinical judgment to advocate the best management for their patients

Anemia e nível de hemoglobina como fatores prognósticos da mortalidade entre idosos residentes na comunidade: evidências da Coorte de Idosos de Bambuí, Minas Gerais, Brasil / Anemia and hemoglobin level as prognostic factors of mortality in community-dwelling elderly: evidence from the Bambuí Cohort Study on Aging, Minas Gerais State, Brazil / Anemia y nivel de hemoglobina como factores pronósticos de la mortalidad entre ancianos residentes en la comunidad: Cohorte de Ancianos de Bambuí, Minas Gerais, Brasil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi examinar a influência de baixos níveis de hemoglobina (Hb) e anemia na mortalidade entre idosos ao longo de dez anos de seguimento (1997 a 2007). Entre os 1.742 idosos participantes da linha de base da coorte de Bambuí, Minas Gerais, Brasil, 1.322 (82,3%) foram acompanhados pelo tempo médio de 8,9 anos. A probabilidade de sobrevida foi estimada pelo método de Kaplan-Meier e o modelo de riscos proporcionais de Cox foi utilizado, estimando-se os hazard ratios (HR) e intervalos de 95% de confiança (IC95%), considerando-se os potenciais fatores de confusão. Idosos anêmicos e com baixos níveis de Hb (primeiro tercil) apresentaram maior risco de óbito (HR = 2,63; IC95%: 1,83-3,76 e HR = 1,38; IC95%: 1,07-1,79, respectivamente) comparados aos não anêmicos e aos de maior nível de Hb. Os resultados demonstram que a ocorrência de anemia e/ou baixos níveis de Hb (independente do diagnóstico de anemia) devem ser interpretados e tratados como determinante independente da mortalidade nessa população idosa.

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of low hemoglobin (Hb) and anemia on mortality in the elderly in a ten-year follow-up (1997-2007). Among the 1,742 elderly participants in the baseline cohort from Bambuí, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, 1,322 (82.3%) were followed for an average of 8.9 years. Probability of survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier and Cox's proportional hazard ratios (HR), and confidence intervals (95%CI) were used, considering potential confounders. Anemia and low Hb (lowest tertile) were associated with increased risk of death (HR = 2.63, 95%CI: 1.83-3.76 and HR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.07-1.79, respectively). The results show that anemia or low Hb (regardless of a diagnosis of anemia) should be interpreted and managed as independent determinants of mortality in this elderly population.

El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la influencia de los bajos niveles de hemoglobina (Hb) y anemia sobre la mortalidad de ancianos a lo largo de diez años (1997-2007). De los 1.742 ancianos participantes de la cohorte de Bambuí, Minas Gerais, Brasil, a 1.322 (82,3%) se les realizó un seguimiento promedio de 8,9 años. Se utilizó el método de Kaplan-Meier para estimar la probabilidad de supervivencia y el modelo de riesgos proporcionales de Cox para poder realizar una estimación del cociente de riesgo - hazard ratios (HR) - con intervalos de confianza de un 95%. Asimismo, fueron considerados factores potenciales de confusión. Ancianos anémicos y con niveles bajos de Hb (primer tercil) presentaron un riesgo superior de morir (HR = 2,63; IC95%: 1,83 a 3,76 y HR = 1,38; IC95%: 1,07 a 1,79, respectivamente), en comparación con los individuos no anémicos y con los que presentaron niveles superiores de Hb. Los resultados indican que la ocurrencia de anemia y/o bajos niveles de Hb (independiente del diagnóstico) se debe interpretar y manejar como factores determinantes independientes de la mortalidad entre una determinada población geriátrica..

Factores asociados y consecuencias clínicas de la anemia post trasplante renal / Associated factors and clinical implications of post transplant renal anemia

Un porcentaje considerable de pacientes presentan anemia post trasplante renal. Su origen es multifactorial y sus principales etiologías dependen de la etapa post trasplante que se considere. Estudiamos en un grupo de 134 pacientes los factores asociados con anemia tardía (6 meses post trasplante) y sus implicaciones clínicas a mediano plazo. En el análisis de regresión múltiple, la duración de la oliguria post trasplante y el número de episodios de rechazo fueron las variables significativamente asociadas con esta complicación. La supervivencia del órgano mostró una diferencia significativa a los 36 meses entre los grupos (83% en los anémicos versus 96% de los no anémicos p < 0.01). No observamos diferencias en mortalidad o eventos cardiovasculares. Concluimos que la presencia de anemia al sexto mes post trasplante renal está independiente y significativamente asociada con factores que condicionan la masa renal funcionante que explicarían además la menor supervivencia del injerto renal observada en estos pacientes.

A considerable percentage of patients exhibit anemia post kidney transplant. Its origin is multifactorial and the main causes involved depend on the post transplant period considered. We studied in a group of 134 consecutive patients the associated factors and the clinical implications of "late anemia" (6 months post transplant). Multiple regression analysis showed that post transplant oliguria and acute rejection episodes were significantly associated with anemia. Graft survival at 36 months was significantly reduced in the anemic group (83 % versus 96%, p < 0.01). No differences in patients survival or rate of cardiovascular events were observed. We concluded that anemia at 6 months post transplant is independently and significantly associated with events that reduced functioning renal mass and kidney survival.

Risks associated with mild anemia in apparently healthy individuals: how to combat anemia in general population

Mild grade anemia in adult population is defined as a blood hemoglobin concentration between 10.00 to 12.9 g/dl in males or between 10.00 to 11.9 g/dl in non-pregnant females. Mildly anemic but apparently healthy subjects are commonly found in general population. Such individuals are at a greater risk of not being sufficiently investigated for the underlying disease and may end up with serious morbidity and health problems such as, diminished cardiovascular responses, compromised physical activity, poor cognitive function and growth retardation in children, and increased risk of falls and fractures and 5-year all cause mortality rates among elderly people. Nutritional deficiencies, chronic diseases, recurrent infections and aging are the major causes of mild anemia. The best approach to combat mild anemia in general population of a developing country would be through initiation of food fortification program, creating more awareness among people about the benefits of dietary diversification, use of fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables and adopting measures such as, frequent hand washing and use of boiled water for drinking to avoid common infections

Impact of weekly treatment with ferrous sulfate on hemoglobin level, morbidity and nutritional status of anemic infants

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o impacto do tratamento com sulfato ferroso, administrado semanalmente, sobre o nível de hemoglobina, morbidade e estado nutricional de lactentes anêmicos da Zona da Mata Meridional de Pernambuco. MÉTODOS: Estudo de intervenção de base comunitária, controlado, realizado com 378 lactentes acompanhados até 18 meses. Foram selecionadas aleatoriamente 245 crianças para avaliação da hemoglobina aos 12 meses. As crianças foram distribuídas em três grupos de estudo: dois com tratamento semanal de 45 mg de ferro elementar, dos 12 aos 18 meses de vida (69 crianças com anemia moderada/grave e 111 com anemia leve) e um sem tratamento, constituído de 65 crianças sem anemia. As 133 crianças restantes constituíram o grupo controle, utilizado para comparação do estado nutricional e da morbidade. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de anemia foi de 73,5 por cento aos 12 meses de vida. Após 6 meses de tratamento, houve recuperação do nível de hemoglobina para valores > 11,0 g/dL em 42,3 por cento dos lactentes anêmicos. O aumento médio foi de 1,6 g/dL, sendo maior (2,5 g/dL) para o grupo com nível inicial mais baixo de hemoglobina. Das crianças sem anemia e não tratadas, 40,3 por cento tornaram-se anêmicas ao término do acompanhamento, com uma redução média do nível de hemoglobina de 0,5 g/dL. Observou-se um ganho de peso significativamente maior nos grupos com tratamento, o mesmo não ocorrendo para crescimento linear e duração da diarréia. CONCLUSÕES: A redução da prevalência da anemia em menos da metade das crianças recebendo sulfato ferroso em doses semanais e o surgimento de anemia nos lactentes não anêmicos e sem suplementação de ferro são indicativos da necessidade de estratégias eficazes para seu controle.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of weekly treatment with ferrous sulfate on hemoglobin level, morbidity and nutritional status in a sample of anemic infants from Zona da Mata Meridional in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. METHODS: A controlled, community-based intervention was carried out with 378 infants who were followed-up for 18 months. Hemoglobin level was measured at 12 months in a total of 245 children randomly selected. Participating infants were divided into three groups: two received 45 mg of elemental iron weekly, from 12 to 18 months of life (69 children with moderate/severe anemia, and 111 with mild anemia); the third group was composed of 65 non-anemic children, who received no intervention. The remaining 133 children constituted the control group, for comparisons on nutritional status and morbidity. RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia was 73.5 percent at 12 months of life. After 6 months of treatment, 42.3 percent of anemic children reached hemoglobin levels > 11.0 g/dL. The mean increase was 1.6 g/dL, being higher (2.5 g/dL) in the group with lower levels of hemoglobin at baseline. Children without anemia at baseline received no treatment, and 40.3 percent of them became anemic at the end of follow-up, with a mean decrease of 0.5 g/dL in hemoglobin levels. A significantly greater weight gain was observed in the two treated groups, while no significant improvements were seen in linear growth and duration of diarrhea. CONCLUSIONS: The fact that less than half the children receiving ferrous sulfate recovered from anemia at the end of follow-up, along with the development of anemia in many untreated, previously non-anemic infants, suggests the need for effective control strategies.

Impacto pronóstico de la anemia en insuficiencia cardiaca aguda / Prognostic impact of anemia in acute heart failure

Background and aim. Studies performed on selected patients in other countries have shown that anemia is frequently associated with heart failure and results in a worse prognosis. We sought to determine the prognosis significance of hemoglobin I anemia in patients with acute heart failure which required management with hospital admission. Material and Methods. We analysed 412 patients diagnosed with acute heart failure as outlined in the criteria of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). We measured hemoglobin within the first 24 hours and obtained demographic, clinical and biochemical variables. Anemia was defined in accordance with OMS criteria. The main variable was all-cause mortality. The association between all-cause mortality and hemoglobin I anemia was determined using the multiple regression Cox model. Results. During follow-up (median six months) we observed 101 all-cause mortality events. In the multivariate analysis, hemoglobin was an independent predictive variable adjusted by covariates (HR 1.15, IC 95% [1.04-1.25], p = 0.014). Anemia (hemoglobin < 13 g/dL) was also found to be an independent predictive variable adjusted by covariates (HR 2.06, IC al 95% [1.28-3.33], p = 0.003). Conclusions. Hemoglobin and anemia (hemoglobin < 13 g/dL) are consistently associated with short-term, poorer survival in patients with acute heart failure.

Fundamento y objetivo. La anemia en la insuficiencia cardiaca aguda es un hallazgo frecuente y parece implicar un peor pronóstico. Sin embargo, la mayor parte de estos datos provienen de series extranjeras y población seleccionada. Nuestro objetivo fue conocer en nuestro medio y en población no seleccionada el grado de asociación entre las cifras de hemoglobina al ingreso y la mortalidad por todas las causas a corto plazo tras un ingreso hospitalario por insuficiencia cardiaca aguda. Material y métodos. Incluimos consecutivamente 412 enfermos ingresados en el Servicio de Cardiología diagnosticados de insuficiencia cardiaca aguda según la Sociedad Europea de Cardiología (ESC). Se determinó la hemoglobina al ingreso, así como un conjunto de variables epidemiológicas, clínicas y bioquímicas de contrastado valor pronóstico. La asociación entre mortalidad por todas las causas para la hemoglobina y anemia se determinó mediante un modelo de riesgos proporcionales de Cox. Resultados. Durante el seguimiento de la muestra (mediana seis meses) se registraron 101 muertes por cualquier causa. El descenso de 1 g/dL de hemoglobina se asoció de manera independiente con la mortalidad (IR 1.15, IC 95% [1.04-1.25], p = 0.014). De esta misma manera, la presencia de anemia (hemoglobina < 13 g/dL) al ingreso se asoció de manera independiente con la mortalidad total (IR 2.06, IC 95% [1.28-3.33], p = 0.003). Conclusiones. En pacientes ingresados por insuficiencia cardiaca aguda la hemoglobina (continua o dicotomizada según criterios OMS/ WHO) se asoció de manera independiente e intensa con un desenlace fatal a corto plazo.

El pronóstico de la anemia refractaria / Prognosis of the refractory anemia

Se revisaron los expediantes de 85 pacientes con anemia refractaria, estudiados en el Laboratorio de Investigación en Hematología del Hospital, de abril de 1053 a julio de 1965. La condición se presentó con una frecuencia de 0.74 por cada 1000 egresos y predominió en los grupos avanzados de edad y en el sexo masculino en la proporción de 2 a 1. Su pronóstico se ha mejorado sensiblemente con la introducción de sangre fresca rica en plaquetas, eliminación de la administración preventiva de antibióticos y empleo de testosterona y dosis moderadas de corticoesteroides y en casos especiales el empleo de esplenectomía. La respuesta al tratamiento está condicionada por la situación hematologíca del paciente al ingreso, considerándose una situación favorable cuando el paciente tiene más de 2 por ciento de reticulocitos, más de 1 por ciento de reticulocitos coregidos, más de 500 neutrófilos por mm al cubo en sangres periférica y más de 10 por ciento de neutrófilos maduros en médula ósea

Utilidad de la medición de la hemoglobina en la valoración del riesgo preoperatorio / Usefulness of measuring hemoglobine values in the assessment of the preoperatory risk

Antecedentes. La valoración preoperatoria es un procedimiento que se realiza rutinariamente a todo paciente a quien se realizará un proceso quirúrgico, sea de mayor o menor riesgo; para su ejecución no se toman en cuenta los factores de riesgo que pueden complicar el perioperatorio, solicitando estudios indiscriminados. Consideramos que los estudios utilizados deben planearse realizando una completa semiología y exploración física a cada paciente, por lo que se emprende un estudio retrospectivo para valorar la utilidad de la medición de la hemoglobina. Objetivo. Determinar factores de riesgo clínicos asociados con anemia o poliglobulina. Material y métodos. Se realizó un cohorte retrospectiva de 1,198 expedientes de pacientes a quienes se hizo valoración preoperatoria por el servicio de medicina interna, provenientes de todos los servicios de medicina interna, provenientes de todos los servicios y que habían sido intervenidos quirúrgicamente en el Hospital de Especialidades Dr. Bernardo Sepúlveda G., Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, de 1996 a 1997, analizando los factores de riesgos clínicos, resultados de laboratorio y complicaciones perioperatorias. La valoración preoperatoria se lleva a cabo en los dos meses previos a la cirugía, y un número considerable ocurre en la semana previa, incluyendo interrogatorio intencionado, examen físico y algunos exámenes de laboratorio y gabinetes. Los datos obtenidos fueron capturados en una base de datos computada para ser analizados de acuerdo con las variables de cada investigador. Con cada una de las variables dependientes se comparan los valores de hemoglobina usando la prueba exacta de Fisher. Resultados. De un total de 1,198 expedientes solcitados al servicio de archivo clínico y muerto del Hospital de Especialidades del CMN Siglo XXI. Conclusiones. La probabilidad de fallecer fue mayor para los pacientes con anemia, por este marcador no fue independiente de otras condiciones como la edad, insuficiente renal, insuficiencia cardiaca e infecciones

Anaemia in Tanzania: a situation analysis

The information obtained indicates that anaemia is a major health problem in Tanzania. Anomg admitted underfive children anaemia accounts for 20 percent to 80 percent in some hospitals while in pregnant women it accounts for 18 percent to over 87 percent in Iringa hospital. As a cause of mortality it accounts for 5 percent of maternal mortality in Tanzania. In Muhimbili Medical Centre alone it was responsible for 26 percent of all paediatric deaths in 1989. The import determinants of anaemia are positively correlated with the occurance of tropical diseases as well as nutritional deficiencies