American journal of surgery
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
A prospective, randomized trial limiting perioperative red blood cell transfusions in vascular patients.
Patients undergoing major arterial reconstruction have traditionally been transfused with red blood cells to keep hemoglobin concentrations above 10 g/dL in order to prevent anemia-induced myocardial ischemia. There are no data to support this practice. The hypothesis that vascular patients will tolerate a hemoglobin concentration of 9 g/dL was examined. ⋯ A lower hemoglobin concentration was tolerated without adverse clinical outcome. Patients did not compensate for anemia by increased myocardial work, but by increasing O2 extraction in the peripheral tissues.