Prognostic Association Between Perioperative Red Blood Cell Transfusion and Postoperative Cardiac Surgery Outcomes

Objective: To investigate the correlation between red blood cell transfusion and clinical outcome in patients after cardiac surgery. Methods: Demographic, clinical characteristics, treatment with/without transfusion, and outcomes of patients after cardiac surgery from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care—III database were collected. Patients were divided into two groups according to perioperative transfusion. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was utilized to adjust for the effect of red blood cell transfusion on outcomes for baseline and covariates and to determine its association with outcomes. Results: In total, 6,752 patients who underwent cardiac surgery were enrolled for the analysis. Among them, 2,760 (40.9%) patients received a perioperative transfusion. Compared with patients without red blood cell transfusion, transfused patients demonstrated worse outcomes in inhospital mortality, 1-year mortality, and all-cause mortality. Adjusting odds ratios (ORs) for the significant characteristic, patients with perioperative transfusion remained significantly associated with an increased risk of inhospital mortality [OR = 2.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5–5.1, P = 0.001], 1-year mortality (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.4–2.7, P < 0.001), and long-term mortality (OR = 2.2, 95% CI 1.8–2.8, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Perioperative red blood cell transfusion is associated with a worse prognosis of cardiac surgery patients. Optimal perioperative management and restricted transfusion strategy might be considered in selected patients.