Introduction. Several studies suggest that preoperative anaemia (PA) is associated with adverse postoperative outcomes, but little\nis known about these outcomes in the Central Region of Ghana. This study aims to determine the prevalence of PA among\nnoncardiac surgical patients and its implications for their postoperative outcomes. Methods. This study was designed as an\nobservational study; data including demographics and clinical and laboratory results were collected from the patientsââ?¬â?¢ records and\nthrough interviews. Results. A total of 893 inpatient surgical cases undergoing elective and emergency operations, aged 15 years\nand above with mean age of 44.2 Ã?± 17.0 yrs, were enrolled. The prevalence of PA was 54.3%, mostly microcytic with or without\nhypochromia (57.2%). The prevalence was higher in females than males (p ââ?°Â¤ 0.001). Preoperative anaemia was significantly\nassociated with prolonged length of hospital stay (OR: 2.12 (95% CI: 1.49ââ?¬â??3.10)). Allogeneic blood transfusion significantly\nprolonged the length of hospital stay (OR 4.48 (95% CI: 2.67ââ?¬â??7.51)). 15.5% of the anaemic patients received oral iron supplements\ncompared to 2.2% of nonanaemic patients (p ââ?°Â¤ 0.001). Conclusion. Preoperative anaemia is common among noncardiac surgical\npatients. It is independently and significantly associated with prolonged hospital stay leading to the use of increased healthcare\nresources. It is also the main predictor for perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions and the use of haematinics.
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