Prevalence of and Recovery From Anemia Following Hospitalization for Critical Illness Among Adults

Key Points Question Is anemia in patients with critical illness associated with persistent anemia following discharge? Findings In this cohort study of 6901 adults hospitalized for critical illness, 41% had prevalent anemia preceding hospitalization and 74% of those without prehospitalization anemia developed incident anemia, for an overall anemia prevalence of 80% at hospital discharge. Rates of complete recovery from hospital discharge anemia at 12 months posthospitalization for those alive with available hemoglobin assessments were 58% for mild anemia, 39% for moderate anemia, and 24% for severe anemia. Meaning The findings of this study suggest that anemia is common and often persistent in the first year after critical illness.
Importance Anemia is common and has been associated with poor outcomes in the critically ill population, yet the timing and extent of hemoglobin recovery remains incompletely described, which may have important implications for clinical outcomes following discharge from intensive care. Objectives To describe longitudinal changes in anemia status during and after critical illness and assess the associations between hemoglobin concentrations and postdischarge mortality. Design, Setting, and Participants A population-based cohort study was conducted from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2016, in Olmsted County, Minnesota; data analysis was performed from June 1 to December 30, 2019. Participants included 6901 adults (age ≥18 years) admitted to intensive care. Main Outcomes and Measures Hemoglobin concentrations in the 12 months before hospitalization, during hospitalization, and in the 12 months after discharge, categorized by anemia severity (mild, hemoglobin ≥10.0 to
This cohort study examines the presence of anemia in critically ill patients and outcomes after discharge.