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Background Blood transfusions are common medical procedures and every age group requires detailed insights and treatment bundles. The aim of this study was to examine the association of anaemia, co-morbidities, complications, in-hospital mortality, and transfusion according to age groups to identify patient groups who are particularly at risk when undergoing surgery. Methods Data from 21 Hospitals of the Patient Blood Management Network Registry were analysed. Patients were divided into age subgroups. The incidence of preoperative anaemia, co-morbidities, surgical disciplines, hospital length of stay, complications, in-hospital mortality rate, and transfusions were analysed by descriptive and multivariate regression analysis. Results A total of 1 117 919 patients aged 18–108 years were included. With increasing age, the number of co-morbidities and incidence of preoperative anaemia increased. Complications, hospital length of stay, and in-hospital mortality increased with age and were higher in patients with preoperative anaemia. The mean number of transfused red blood cells (RBCs) peaked, whereas the transfusion rate increased continuously. Multivariate regression analysis showed that increasing age, co-morbidities, and preoperative anaemia were independent risk factors for complications, longer hospital length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and the need for RBC transfusion. Conclusion Increasing age, co-morbidities, and preoperative anaemia are independent risk factors for complications, longer hospital length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and the need for RBC transfusion. Anaemia diagnosis and treatment should be established in all patients.

Approximately one in three patients has untreated preoperative anaemia, which in turn is associated with an increased need for transfusion of allogenic red blood cell concentrates (RBC) and complications in the context of a surgical intervention. Here, the prevalence of preoperative and postoperative anaemia as well as their effects on transfusion rate, hospital length of stay and hospital mortality in primary hip and knee arthroplasty has been analysed.From January 2012 to September 2018, 378,069 adult inpatients from 13 German hospitals were analysed on the basis of an anonymized registry. Of these, n = 10,017 patients had a hip and knee joint primary arthroplasty. The primary endpoint was the incidence of preoperative anaemia, which was analysed by the first available preoperative haemoglobin value according to the WHO definition. Secondary endpoints included in-hospital length of stay, number of patients with red blood cell concentrate transfusion, incidence of hospital-acquired anaemia, number of deceased patients, and postoperative complications.The preoperative anaemia rate was 14.8% for elective knee joint arthroplasty, 22.9% for elective hip joint arthroplasty and 45.0% for duo-prosthesis implantation. Preoperative anaemia led to a significantly higher transfusion rate (knee: 8.3 vs. 1.8%; hip: 34.5 vs. 8.1%; duo-prosthesis: 42.3 vs. 17.4%), an increased red blood cell concentrate consumption (knee: 256 ± 107 vs. 29 ± 5 RBC/1000 patients; hip: 929 ± 60 vs. 190 ± 16 RBC/1000 patients; duo-prosthesis: 1411 ± 98 vs. 453 ± 42 RBC/1000 patients). Pre-operative anaemia was associated with prolonged hospital stay (12.0 [10.0; 17.0] d vs. 11.0 [9.0; 13.0] d; p 0.001) and increased mortality (5.5% [4.6 - 6.5%] vs. 0.9% [0.7 - 1.2%]; Fisher p 0.001) compared to non-anaemic patients. In patients aged 80 years and older, the incidence of preoperative anaemia and thus the transfusion rate was almost twice as high as in patients under 80 years of age.Preoperative anaemia is common in knee and hip primary arthroplasty and was associated with a relevant increase in red blood cell concentrate consumption. In the context of patient blood management, a relevant potential arises, especially in elective orthopaedic surgery, to better prepare elective patients, to avoid unnecessary transfusions and thus to conserve the valuable resource blood.Präoperativ liegt bei etwa jedem 3. Patienten eine nicht therapierte Anämie vor, die wiederum im Kontext eines chirurgischen Eingriffs mit einem erhöhten Transfusionsbedarf von allogenen Erythrozytenkonzentraten (EK) sowie Komplikationen einhergeht. In der vorliegenden Arbeit soll die Prävalenz einer prä- und postoperativen Anämie und deren Einfluss auf den Transfusionsbedarf von EK, Krankenhausverweildauer sowie Krankenhaussterblichkeit in der primären Hüft- und Kniegelenkendoprothetik analysiert werden.Basierend auf einem anonymisierten Register wurden von Januar 2012 bis September 2018 378 069 erwachsene stationäre Patienten aus 13 deutschen Krankenhäusern analysiert, von denen n = 10 017 Patienten eine Hüft- und Kniegelenkprimärimplantation hatten. Der primäre Endpunkt war die Inzidenz einer präoperativen Anämie, die über den 1. präoperativ verfügbaren Hämoglobinwert entsprechend der WHO-Definition analysiert wurde. Zu den sekundären Endpunkten zählte die Krankenhausverweildauer, Anzahl Patienten mit EK-Transfusion, Inzidenz einer postoperativen krankenhauserworbenen Anämie, Anzahl verstorbener Patienten sowie verschiedene postoperative Komplikationen.Die präoperative Anämierate betrug bei elektiver Kniegelenkendoprothetik 14,8%, bei elektiver Hüftgelenkendoprothetik 22,9% und bei Duokopfprothesenimplantation sogar 45,0%. Eine präoperative Anämie führte zu einer signifikant höheren EK-Transfusionsrate (Kniegelenkprothese: 8,3 vs. 1,8%; Hüftgelenksprothese: 34,5 vs. 8,1%; Duokopfprothese: 42,3 vs. 17,4%) sowie einem erhöhten EK-Verbrauch (Kniegelenk: 256 ± 107 vs. 29 ± 5 EK/1000 Patienten; Hüftgelenk: 929 ± 60 vs. 190 ± 16 EK/1000 Patienten; Duokopfprothese: 1411 ± 98 vs. 453 ± 42). Im Gesamtkollektiv war eine präoperative Anämie gegenüber nicht anämischen Patienten mit einer verlängerten Krankenhausverweildauer (12,0 [10,0; 17,0] d vs. 11,0 [9,0; 13,0] d; p 0,001) sowie einer erhöhten Sterblichkeit assoziiert (5,5% [4,6 – 6,5%] vs. 0,9% [0,7% – 1,2%]; Fisher p 0,001). Bei Patienten mit einem Alter von 80 Jahren und höher war die Inzidenz einer präoperativen Anämie und damit die Transfusionsrate nahezu doppelt so hoch wie bei den unter 80-Jährigen.Eine präoperative Anämie kommt bei Knie- und Hüftgelenkprimärimplantation häufig vor und ist mit einem relevant erhöhten EK-Verbrauch assoziiert. Vor diesem Hintergrund könnte sich in der Zukunft vor allem in der elektiven orthopädischen Chirurgie ein relevantes Potenzial ergeben, im Sinne von Patient Blood Management die elektiven Patienten besser vorzubereiten, um unnötige Transfusionen zu vermeiden und so die wertvolle Ressource Blut zu schonen.