Perioperative medicine & outcomes
Association between anaemia and hospital readmissions in patients undergoing major surgery requiring postoperative intensive care
Authors' conclusion
Anaemia at hospital discharge in surgical patients requiring postoperative intensive care is associated with increased rates of hospital readmission in two large independent cohorts.
Study context
- Population
- Adult surgical patients (aged ≥ 18 years) requiring postoperative ICU admission after major surgerytwo cohorts
- Participants
- 3,260 vs 29,452
- Exposure
- Discharge haemoglobin concentration
- Olmsted Countyn = 3,260
- Kaiser Permanente Northern Californian = 29,452
- Outcome
- Unanticipated hospital readmission
- Follow-up
- 30 days
Methodological detailstwo independent population-based cohorts, prespecified multivariable adjustment, Cox proportional hazards models
- Two independent population-based cohorts
- Prespecified multivariable adjustment
- Cox proportional hazards models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
30-day readmission per 10 g.l-1 decrease in discharge haemoglobin
Hazard ratio (95% CI)P value
Olmsted County
1.09(1.02–1.18)
P = 0.014Kaiser Permanente Northern California
1.08(1.06–1.11)
P < 0.001Per 10 g.l-1 decrease, as printed
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Readmission across pre-operative anaemia severity (sensitivity analysis)
- Lower discharge haemoglobin associated with higher readmissions irrespective of pre-operative anaemia severity
Original publication
Association between anaemia and hospital readmissions in patients undergoing major surgery requiring postoperative intensive care. Anaesthesia. Published 8 September 2022. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →