Washington—Hemoglobin level may not tell the whole story in cases of preoperative anemia. Instead, classifying anemia based on the size of red blood cells might predict clinical outcomes following elective cardiac surgery, a recent analysis concluded. Despite not having the most severe anemia, patients with macrocytic anemia had the highest risk for needing red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and experiencing postoperative complications.
“When evaluating patients, we recommend that