Hospital-acquired anemia, a condition in which patients' red blood cells decrease, is quite common and can heighten the risk of death or readmission, according to a study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
The study, conducted by Dallas-based University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center researchers, included 11,000 patients in six hospitals. The researchers defined hospital-acquired anemia as having a regular blood count on hospital admission, but developing anemia while hospitalized.
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The study shows that one in three patients developed hospital-acquired anemia. The most severe form of this anemia was linked to a 39 percent jump in the risk of being readmitted or dying within 30 days post-discharge as compared to those patients who did not develop the condition. The most severe form of hospital-acquired anemia occurred in 1.4 percent of all hospitalizations included in the study.
Additionally, the study reveals that the two most accurate predictors of developing hospital-acquired anemia are length of hospital stay and patients undergoing major surgery.
"Our findings suggest that reducing blood loss during major surgeries and reducing unnecessary testing during hospital stays may lower a patient's risk of developing severe hospital-acquired anemia, and potentially improve their recovery," said lead study author Anil Makam, assistant professor of internal medicine and clinical sciences and a member of UT Southwestern's Center for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research.