Transfusion needs in patients admitted for fracture of femur

OBJECTIVE

To determine the variables and predictive factors associated with the administration and frequency of the allogenic blood transfusion (ABT) on patients diagnosed with fracture of femur requiring surgical intervention. The secondary objective was to describe the frequency and quantity of ABT on those patients.

METHOD

A retrospective transversal observational study was performed on patients admitted to the Sagrat Cor hospital of Barcelona with a diagnosis of fractured femur that required surgical intervention in 2016. Several demographic variables were gathered along with the clinical data and outcome of transfused and non-transfused patients, including the type of fracture.

RESULTS

The overall sample was 257 patients. Of the patients studied, 52.9% required blood transfusion support. Patients who required ABT had haemoglobin values on admission of 11.01 gdl while those that did not require transfusion had an average value of 12.97 g/dl. Of the patients, 42.8% were on anticoagulant and/or antiplatelet therapy before the fracture occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

More than half the patients admitted for fracture of femur received blood transfusion. The data collected showed that the hospital transfusion policy offered satisfactory results. Factors associated with the need for ABT were haemoglobin levels on admission and the type of fracture. Age and ASA risk (classification system of the American Society of Anesthesiologists) were also risk factors for ABT. This information could be useful for blood saving protocols. Finally, we think that it is important that all patients that are hospitalised with a diagnosis of fracture of femur and require surgery have a blood reserve request made, given that a high percentage of them, at any time during their stay, will be transfused.