Blood transfusion in geriatric patients who underwent orthopaedic surgery: a prospective study

Objective

Our hypothesis is that older patients more often receive packed red blood cells, motivated for comorbidity.

Methods

During a 4-year period (2001–2004) we collected data on 1064 patients admitted to an ICU of an orthopaedic surgery hospital. We analyzed the use of packages of red blood cells (PRBC), the quantity of packages, and comorbidities. We excluded patients that received more than 4 PRBC.

Results

The percentage of patients that received PRBC progressively increases from patients in their sixties to their nineties (r = 0.99): <65 years, 30.6%; 65–69 years, 20.7%; 70–79 years, 33.2%; 80–89 years, 45.3%; 90 years or more, 64.7%. There was no increase in the number of packages as the age advances: <65 years, 1.81 packs; 65–69 years, 1.83; 70–79 years, 1.93; 80–89 years, 1.9; 90 years or more, 2.18. No difference was found in the postoperative hematocrit: <65 years, 33.1%; 65–69 years, 33.6%; 70–79 years, 34.8%; 80–89 years, 32.4%; 90 years or more, 32.9%. We did not find any relationship of the use of PRBC and cardiovascular comorbidities (χ² = 0.35; P > 0.05).

Conclusions

There was a positive correlation between age and necessity of hemotransfusion in the postoperative period of orthopedic surgeries, but it was not correlated to the cardiovascular comorbidity.