[Packed red blood cell transfusions in perioperative period in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies]

To compare the incidence of postoperative complications in patients with gastrointestinal cancer and anemia depending on red blood cell transfusion.

We analyzed treatment outcomes in patients with anemia who underwent surgery between 01.01.2022 and 30.01.2024. The main group included 105 patients who received red blood cell transfusions, the control group - 124 patients without transfusions. We assessed postoperative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification, length of hospital stay, readmission, 30-day and 90-day mortality.

The study included 229 patients. Transfusions were performed in 105 (45.9%) patients, and there were no transfusions in 124 (54.1%) patients. Postoperative complications were more common in patients with transfusions (26.6% vs. 45.7%, p=0.003) (mainly Clavien-Dindo grade II (15.3% vs. 36.2%, p<0.001) and grade V (0% vs. 7.6%, p=0.002)). In patients with transfusions, hospital stay was 14 days, without transfusion - 11 days (p=0.001). Readmission rate (0% versus 14.3%, p<0.001), 30-day (0% and 6.7%, p=0.004) and 90-day mortality (0% and 11.4%, p<0.001) were higher in the transfusion group.

Correction of anemia with red blood cell transfusions in patients with gastrointestinal cancer increases the incidence of postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, readmission rate, 30-day and 90-day mortality.