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Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid use and hemoglobin levels. Effects in a primary care population
A Leibovici1, N Lavi, S Wainstok
1Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence of acetylsalicylic acid therapy and effect of the drug on hemoglobin concentration over time.
Design:
Retrospective, observational study.
Setting:
Primary care population in a university-affiliated family medicine clinic.
Patients:
A population-based sample of 80 patients receiving low-dose ASA for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease was studied. Of 84 patients receiving the drug after a cardiovascular problem, four were excluded: one man died of a recurrent stroke during the study; the file of a second man was unavailable; another man developed a bleeding ulcer; and one woman had been taking ASA for only 1 month when the data were collated.
Main Outcome Measures:
Demographic variables of patients taking low-dose ASA, duration of ASA use, and two successive measures of hemoglobin level.
Results:
The frequency of ASA administration was 7.7% for men aged 60 and older and 2.9% for women. Women had no significant change in hemoglobin levels, while men had a mean loss of 0.472 g/dL (95% confidence interval, .198 to .746; P = .009). For the study population as a whole (80 patients), the average decline was 0.294 g/dL (95% confidence interval, .039 to .549; P = .029).
Conclusions:
Although the clinical significance of these findings is uncertain, they suggest the need for a prospective investigation of the influence of low-dose ASA on hemoglobin levels.