Abstract
The identification of preoperative risk factors for blood transfusion following total joint arthroplasty facilitates the selection of patients for blood-conservation strategies such as preoperative autologous blood donation. We reviewed prospective data on 1016 unilateral THRs to establish the preoperative risk factors associated with peri-operative blood transfusion.
On average, transfused patients were older, with lower preoperative haemoglobin, weight, height and body mass indices than patients who were not transfused. When the relationship between variables and transfusion was examined by multivariate analysis with multiple logistic regressions, only preoperative haemoglobin and weight were identified as significant independent factors increasing the risk of transfusion (p < 0.001). A threefold increase in transfusion risk was associated with haemoglobin below 12.
Patients of low weight or with haemoglobin below 12 should be considered for blood-conserving interventions.
Secretary: Dr H.J.S. Colyn, Editor: Professor M.B.E. Sweet. Correspondence should be addressed to SAOA, Box 47363, Parklands, Johannesburg, 2121, South Africa.
