Perioperative medicine & outcomes
Associations between postoperative anaemia and unplanned readmission to hospital after major surgery: a retrospective cohort study †
Authors' conclusion
Our findings suggest that a haemoglobin concentration < 100 g.l-1 following elective procedures and < 110 g.l-1 following emergency procedures, at the time of hospital discharge after major surgery, was associated with unplanned readmission.
Study context
- Population
- Patients undergoing major surgery (orthopaedic, abdominal, cardiac or thoracic), 1 May 2011–1 February 202214,635 in primary analysis
- Participants
- 22,134 patients
- Exposure
- Discharge haemoglobin concentration and risk of unplanned readmission
- Outcome
- Unplanned readmission to hospital after discharge from the index surgical procedure
- Follow-up
- 90 days following discharge
Methodological detailssingle tertiary health service, restricted cubic splines
- Single tertiary health service
- Restricted cubic splines
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- At least one unplanned readmission
- 1804 (12%)
- Odds of unplanned readmission rose when discharge haemoglobin < 100 g.l-1
- p < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | OR (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unplanned readmission per decline in discharge haemoglobin, by surgery type (subgroup)Orthopaedic | 1.08 (1.01–1.15) | P = 0.03 | |
| Unplanned readmission per decline in discharge haemoglobin, by surgery type (subgroup)Abdominal | 1.13 (1.07–1.19) | P < 0.001 | |
| Unplanned readmission per decline in discharge haemoglobin, by surgery type (subgroup)Thoracic | 1.12 (1.01–1.24) | P = 0.03 | |
| Unplanned readmission per decline in discharge haemoglobin, by surgery type (subgroup)Cardiac | 1.09 (0.99–1.19) | P = 0.07 | |
| 0.512Odds ratio (log scale) |
Haemoglobin threshold, emergency vs elective surgery (subgroup)
- Threshold below which odds of readmission increased appeared higher with emergency surgery
- 110 g.l-1; p < 0.001
Original publication
Associations between postoperative anaemia and unplanned readmission to hospital after major surgery: a retrospective cohort study †. Anaesthesia. Published 12 April 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →