Postoperative red blood cell transfusion strategy in frail anemic elderly with hip fracture. A randomized controlled...

Hip fracture in the elderly is associated with poor recovery from physical disability and mortality. Perioperative blood loss is common, and anemia might be fatal in the frail elderly. Red blood cell transfusions might increase the risk of infection. In an observational study, a liberal transfusion strategy with hemoglobin (Hb) target of 7 mmol/l (11.3 g/dl) seemed to improve survival in nursing home residents with hip fracture compared to the recommended restrictive strategy with a Hb target of 6 mmol/l (9.7 g/dl) according to the Danish Health Authority. Our aim was to compare these two strategies in the frail elderly in a randomized controlled trial on the outcomes: recovery from physical disabilities, mortality, infection, infection biomarkers, and overall Quality of Life (OQoL). We included 284 elderly admitted to hospital for surgical hip fracture repair from nursing homes or sheltered housing facilities. The anemic patients were assigned postoperatively to the liberal or the restrictive transfusion strategy. Randomization divided each transfusion group into two equal blocks with regard to type of the residence. Hb was measured daily during the first three postoperative days, at least once during the following 4-6 days, then at least once a week during the subsequent three weeks. The transfusions were administered according to group assignments, but no later than 24 hours after the Hb determination, one unit at a time, and no more than two units per day. The intervention lasted for 30 days after surgery. Outcome measurements were performed on days 10, 30, 90, and 365. Blinded assessors evaluated physical performance and OQoL. The liberal transfusion strategy did not improve recovery from physical disabilities, mortality, infection rate, or OQoL compared to the restrictive strategy. However, in nursing home residents, 90-day mortality rate (20%) following the liberal strategy was statistically significantly lower than that (36%) after the restrictive strategy. Per protocol, the 30-day mortality rate was statistically significantly lower following the liberal strategy in all patients (7% versus 16%). No statistically significant difference was found in repeated leukocyte counts and C-reactive protein measurements, or in rate of all infections after ten days (66% versus 72%). Physical recovery from 30 days until one year after hip fracture surgery was improved by the liberal strategy. A liberal strategy did not improve 30-day OQoL. Physical performance was improved from 30 days to one year after fracture in patients treated according to the liberal strategy and was associated with better progress of OQoL in the same period. We conclude that according to our used Hb thresholds, the liberal Hb target of 7 mmol/l (11.3 g/dl) improves survival in the frailest elderly (the nursing home residents) without impairing recovery from physical disabilities and OQoL or increasing risk of infections compared to the restrictive Hb target of 6 mmol/l (9.7 g/dl). The liberal strategy seems to improve recovery of physical performance within one year after hip fracture surgery which was associated with better overall QoL.